


Dragonfly

by SimplySix



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Multi, OCs - Freeform, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 16:36:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 129,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimplySix/pseuds/SimplySix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Everything around me is always in chaos. I ruined Tifa's wedding. Cloud is angry. I punched Vincent in the face. Vincent. He looked. . .so sad. I'd never seen him look like that. </p><p>"Gods above. It is all a mess!  How dare that fat jerk sell me to the highest bidder like a cow! Leave it to my father to ruin my life completely. </p><p>"Trapped, like a butterfly in a jar."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a very popular story on FFNET. I have had several requests for it since its removal from the website. 
> 
> It was first published in 2007 under my original Pen Name, "Jupiter Green."
> 
> This story was MEANT to be much, much longer. I have additional chapters written after I stopped writing in 2009. I don't know if I just felt the place where it ended was a good stopping point, or if I thought two years was long enough to be writing on one story. xD
> 
> This story has the honour of having OCs that are MORE popular than the main characters themselves! x)
> 
> The introduction of Andrina ( RINA ) Patrice and Vox Morinaga actually rallied people to request more of THEM and prompted me to write more on the story. I never did finish the second half. 
> 
> I suppose this story and "Je t'aime" in my TF2 Fandom work share that in common. 
> 
> Unfinished love stories. 
> 
> Enjoy.  
> Six

The water made a gentle lapping sound as the waterfall spilled over the tall mountain side and into a stone basin surrounded by trees. Leaves dipped their tendrils through the surface as moonlight trickled through their gathering. An owl hooted the hour as the small, hunched silhouette of a young woman moved against the backdrop of the night.

Yuffie Kisaragi watched the owl fly up out of the tree branches as she sat upon a rock. The water caressed the bottom of her perch as moss floated gently upon the tension. Stars twinkled silently as Yuffie eased her chin down on her raised knees and wrapped her arms around her shins. Her pale toes dug into the rough, stone surface as she watched the ripples in the water. A sad, unexplainable pain was set in the young ninja's face as her eyes grew distant.

A few more minutes passed this way as the ninja remained immobile. A cool breeze blew through the tiny clearing as a coyote howled in the distance. Still, Yuffie did not move.

The ninja was languid in her posture as a fish jumped in the water. Fireflies moved through the leaves of the trees as Yuffie's head slipped down her knees. A strap fell off of her shoulder and the thin, gauzy dress that she wore fell down her chest with it.

Yuffie closed her eyes and ignored the garment as the smell of jasmine and lily wafted through the air. Her skin paled considerably as the lavender colored fabric covering her body hung pathetically around her in torn shambles and long rips. She looked thin and frail as her short, black hair fell into her eyes.

"I wonder if anyone's looking for me."

The ninja's voice was soft and scratchy from disuse as she spoke to the empty space in front of her.

She frowned as her eyes narrowed.

"No, of course they aren't." she said bitterly. "Not that I blame them, though. I acted like such a child. I ruined everything, like always."

Yuffie sighed and hunched farther over her knees.

But. . .could anyone  _honestly_  blame her?

She had offered Cloud and Tifa the use of the palace gardens at her home in Wutai in the hopes of showing good will and gratitude toward the two for all they had done for her. Not to mention, Yuffie was hoping to impress everyone by showing off what a lady she could be when she tried at it. Besides that, Tifa was like a sister to the ninja. She wanted Tifa to have the perfect wedding like the bar maid had dreamed of her whole life.

Of course, Yuffie had to sweet talk Godo for several days, but after goading him with the fact that Cloud  _had_  restored much of the materia Yuffie had collected in her travels, Godo had finally agreed to have the wedding at the palace. Yuffie knew that it didn't really matter  _where_  the wedding was; Tifa and Cloud would have been happy marrying each other in Seventh Heaven. No, Yuffie had simply wanted to offer her home in the hopes that everything would be bright and happy for the new couple, like they deserved.

However, all had not been bright, and certainly  _all_  were not happy.

Yuffie frowned as she returned to the present to listen to the coyotes sing to one another. Her eyes grew distant again after a few moments of the coyote's song, and she was quickly engulfed in her thoughts again.

Godo had announced to everyone, at Cloud and Tifa's wedding reception, no less, that Yuffie would soon be engaged and wed to a young, Wutainese man in his Senate. If everyone in the room was stunned, Yuffie was struck dead because it had been the first she had ever heard of it. She wasn't trained to be a  _proper_  lady let alone a  _bride_. How in the hell did her father get off telling her and a dozen of her friends that she was going to be married to some stranger from the Royal Council?

Yuffie didn't know, and at the time, she didn't care. Thus, she did the only thing that the ninja knew how to do in situations she didn't like.

She got mad.

"No, I went crazy." Yuffie breathed aloud as she looked at her reflection in the pool surrounding the rock she was sitting on. "I came completely unglued."

Yuffie Kisaragi belonged to no man. She had no desire to get married or settle down. Not only that, she had no real will to take over her father's kingdom and rule like he had for the past several  _decades_. No, Yuffie Kisaragi craved the open air, the thrill of the fight, and the chase of a lifetime. She couldn't get those things if she was cooped up in a palace learning to dance and play music. What good was dancing when it came to fighting? Well, that wasn't completely true. The dancing lessons had come in handy a couple of times. But that didn't matter.

Yuffie didn't want marriage. Especially a marriage to someone she did not love.

Her feelings already belonged to another man. Though he didn't know it, she knew he felt it, and she wasn't ready to give her feelings for that man away without a real fight.

Which is exactly what she had done at Tifa's wedding reception.

After the shock of Godo's announcement had worn off, Yuffie had stepped away from the handsome gunslinger she had been dancing with and faced her father with a look of vengeance. She had started out at a calm roar and had escalated into a full out rant in Wutainese by the time she had finished. Despite Vincent Valentine's attempts to stop her from lunging forward when her father had said she was being a child and needed to grow up out of her ninja like ways, Yuffie had managed to strike Godo with a shuriken hidden somewhere on her person. This started a completely  _new_  argument that led to Godo yelling back at his daughter in terrible Wutainese.

Though she was pretty sure that no one in the room, save for the guards, knew that her father was calling her a murdering sea serpent, Yuffie couldn't help but feel that the gunslinger that tightened his grip on her arm knew what Godo was saying. At the time, she had shaken the feeling off, but thinking about it now made the ninja wonder.

Yuffie frowned again and put her chin back on her knees.

She had broke free of Vincent a second time and tried to start punching at her father. The guards, Vincent, Cid, and Cloud all had to help pry the ninja off of the Emperor of Wutai, both the Princess and the King spitting and yelling at one another like a couple of dogs in a fight. Yuffie had managed to hit Cloud in the face and strike Vincent in the chest before Cid had managed to pry her arms behind her back and hold her still.

Meanwhile, in all this mess, the dress that Tifa had made specifically for her Matron of Honor, also known as Yuffie Kisaragi, klutz extraordinaire, had been torn, ripped, and ruined.

By the time everyone had calmed down enough to separate the situation, Tifa was in tears and inconsolable and Yuffie was blamed for making the reception a disaster. Cid had called her an immature, little brat for the bazillionth time since she'd met the pilot, and Cloud looked at her with such venom that Yuffie knew if he had the materia to do it, he would have hexed her or something. Her father kept calling her a selfish child and the reason for all of his woes in life. Perhaps worst of all, Godo openly blamed Yuffie's mother's death on Yuffie herself, even though she had only been a child when her mother died.

Yuffie sighed as she drifted out of her thoughts for a brief moment. The wind was cold on her arms as she shivered.

She had been unable to bear anymore.

Yuffie loved her mother. In the short time they spent together, Yuffie and her mother were inseparable. The ninja knew her mother's death was an accident, she had been a scared, little girl. . .if she would have known what would have happened if she had followed her mother that day. . .

Even though she always suspected Godo blamed her for her mother's death, hearing him say it aloud to everyone was like having a hammer dropped straight through her chest.

Vincent, being the only silent one left in the room, let go of the ninja when she had wrenched her arm out of his hand and took off running.

She had felt his eyes on her back as she ran.

Yuffie closed her eyes as several tears slid down her face. She always ruined special events like weddings and birthdays. She ruined  _everything_. It wasn't like she tried to be obnoxious and childish, she just didn't know how to react when situations got too intense. That's why no one liked her. She always said the wrong thing or did the wrong thing when the situation had been easy for someone else to fix. That is often why AVALANCHE sent her out with a "supervisor." They didn't trust her on her own. And, since no one cared to be around a klutz with a sharp object, the group naturally stuck her with a gun toting vampire that said next to nothing. Everyone figured the two negatives would eventually cancel each other out.

Though, despite the reasoning behind the partnership, she never complained about Vincent Valentine.

Even if he was silent, it was better than having someone constantly yelling at you all of the time.

"I wish you were here, Mama." Yuffie whispered as she opened her eyes and looked down at the water. "I don't know what to do, and I am frightened. You were the only one that loved me." she breathed.

"The only one."

More tears fell from Yuffie's eyes and a couple of dragonflies on the water's surface blurred in her vision as the ninja's quiet sobs were stifled against her knees. She let her eyes clear of their own accord as she watched the dragonflies jump and flitter like two, crazed ninjas in a fierce duel.

This simile made Yuffie smile and she laughed as she remembered that someone else had made the exact same comparison about  _her_.

Vincent had said she looked like a dragonfly flitting through the air when she held her shuriken high to catch the sun's light. He had made the comment on a whim, and though Yuffie had wished he would have elaborated, the gunslinger never did.

That was the funny thing about Vincent Valentine. He was chock full of compliments, but he rarely handed them out.

Yuffie winced as she thought of the crimson cloaked gunslinger.

For over five years now, the White Rose of Wutai had pursued the demon plagued gunslinger that was Vincent Valentine. She had never been bothered by the fact that he was silent, withdrawn, and even dangerous. If anything, these qualities made him more intriguing.

Vincent, though his silence annoyed her at times, had never been cruel or mean to her even if she deserved it. He never raised his voice, he never threatened to hurt her, and he didn't blame her for things even when he knew they were her fault. When they worked together, they worked efficiently. They knew how the other fought, and what the pattern was to the dance they had created. Battle became a dance. That is why Yuffie didn't mind dancing so much anymore. It reminded her of Vincent.

They could understand each other through movement alone.

Yuffie lifted her head and listened to the night as the wind blew the torn, taffeta skirt of her lavender gown. Her heart ached as tears dripped from her chin and hit the tops of her knees.

Being around Vincent made her feel how she wanted to feel about herself.

The moonlight skimmed across Yuffie's face as she looked up at the stars and trembled.

She had been at the bar when Cloud had called Vincent to Edge and asked him to be his Best Man. It was awkward seeing Vincent's calm, reserved face as he inquired as to why one of the other men of AVALANCHE could not be Cloud's Best Man. Yuffie had found it unnerving the way Vincent listened to Cloud explain how Cid refused to wear a nice suit and stop smoking for more than 30 minutes, and how Barret couldn't wear anything with sleeves, and then proceeded to interrupt Vincent's next question with the response that Reeve Tuesti felt it wasn't his place. By this time, it was obvious the gunslinger was backed into a corner, and Yuffie knew that Vincent Valentine hated corners.

There had been something in Vincent's countenance that had changed when the ninja had mentioned that she was Tifa's Matron of Honor. She could see something soften in his eyes when he had turned to her and looked at her with that stoic face.

It was then, and only then, that Vincent Valentine agreed to Cloud's invitation to be Best Man.

This was besides the fact that Vincent was the only  _possible_  choice for the suit that Tifa was making for the part.

After the roles had been decided, there had been the small problem of learning the dance the wedding party was supposed to do at the wedding reception after Cloud and Tifa were married.

Yuffie had taken dance as a girl, but had never found much use in it after her mother died and her father let her run around with the boys in the training yard. When Tifa had said that she would have to wear a dress, she begrudgingly agreed because she wanted Tifa to have her perfect wedding. When Tifa said she would also have to wear high heeled shoes, Yuffie had gritted her teeth and took it in stride. But when Tifa Lockhart, soon to be Strife, said that she would have to learn a dance and dance it in front of people, Yuffie was afraid of having to draw a line somewhere.

However, in one of his rare moments, Vincent had spoken on Yuffie's behalf and had assured her that he could teach her the steps to the dance Tifa wanted at her reception.

Taking this as a good enough answer, the bride to be left the gunslinger with the ninja without further complaint. Yuffie had been skeptical of the gunslinger's claim until the first night they practiced together.

The music was a soft, gentle waltz with a beautiful piano solo. It flowed like a breeze through the trees and on that first night they practiced, Yuffie remembered Vincent taking off his mantle, his gauntlet, and his worn, armored boots. She had never seen so much of the gunslinger at once and it startled her to see him standing in front of her with two, fleshy hands and feet. It had taken her several minutes to get over her shock, but Vincent had never once asked her what she was looking at. It was understood that this was a rare moment for both of them and it was unnecessary for Vincent to ask "what" Yuffie was looking at. Being unarmed was not something Vincent Valentine did willingly.

To Yuffie, this was a great sign of trust from the crimson gunslinger.

When their hands first touched, Yuffie felt flames.

She had felt her nerves frazzling as the gunslinger drew her in closer and tried to teach her the first few steps of the waltz. But, she was so distracted by all of the new sensations rushing through her, she didn't know how to keep herself from falling to her knees let alone know which foot went where.

After 15 minutes of that, Vincent had stopped moving and simply stood there, his hand at her back, his fingers threaded through hers. He was quiet for a few moments and Yuffie was sure that he had heard her heart thundering in her chest. She had closed her eyes and bowed her head while apologizing to the gunslinger for her lack of grace.

It was then that Vincent Valentine allowed one of his abundantly rare compliments slip as he reminded the ninja that grace didn't come simply in the form of a waltz or a movement, it came from all sorts of walks of life and skill.

To him, her body in battle was graceful.

After this, Yuffie remembered Vincent telling her that dancing was a lot like moving and dodging in battle, just to a series of notes and rhythms. He reassured her that if she put her trust in him, he would move and her body would follow, just as it did when they battled together.

When Vincent had eased Yuffie's body closer to his and moved in the steps according to the waltz, Yuffie's body followed fluidly all on its own. She fell into the rhythm of Vincent's movements and let him guide her to where she needed to be. Like Vincent had said, if she just thought of dancing as a battle stance, then it would simply come to her.

After 15 more minutes of this, Yuffie and Vincent had the dance down to an art. When Tifa had gotten the dress and suit done a week later, she had watched them dance in the clothes they would wear at her wedding.

Yuffie had felt like a true princess in the dress that Tifa had made. She had enjoyed feeling Vincent's fingers flex against hers and hold her close. Most of all, she enjoyed being lost in a world of grace that belonged to her and the gunslinger and them alone.

It may have been Tifa's wedding, but that day, walking down the aisle, Yuffie felt like the bride.

Again, Yuffie's thoughts were interrupted as several birds shot out of the canopy with a start. The ninja frowned and strained her ears as she listened to the sounds around her. The waterfall continued to splash merrily as fireflies and dragonflies continued to scoot across the water's surface. Upon hearing no intruder, Yuffie lowered her guard and relaxed her muscles again.

She sighed as she lowered her head to her knees and shivered.

Had it been this cold at the wedding?

Yuffie couldn't remember as she frowned and wrapped her arms around her knees in an attempt to keep out the cool breeze that continued to swirl through her sanctuary. The forests surrounding Wutai were thick and hard to navigate if you did not know your way, but Yuffie had learned the secrets of the forest at a young age. After her mother died, the ninja had discovered a lot about herself by running away. When something was wrong, when she was frightened, or whenever she didn't care whether she lived or died, Yuffie was drawn to the forests. This particular area had been discovered several years ago when she had gotten lost for a few days. She had wandered around in monster infested territory until she had come across the clearing.

Yuffie blinked slowly and smiled a little as she listened to the trees rustle their paper sleeves.

The trees protected her when people wouldn't.

Yuffie hugged her knees tighter and trembled again as she frowned.

"Tifa could have made this thing a little warmer." she whispered irritably as she pulled the fabric tighter around her skin.

She sighed as her thoughts drifted back to the wedding she had ruined.

The dress had been beautiful when it was whole. Yuffie had felt like a true princess when she had worn it. That is why she felt like a bride at Tifa's wedding. Before, she would have never worn a dress like the one Tifa had made. She found that dresses didn't suit her well enough to bother with them, so she opted for clothes that were easier to manage in battle. Sure, they left a lot to the imagination, but they were hers, and she liked them. But when Yuffie had walked down that aisle with the bouquet of flowers in her hand, she must have looked exceptionally beautiful.

Yuffie smiled through the cold as she remembered the look on Vincent's face when the ninja had stood across from him and Cloud.

Vincent had worn the suit Tifa had made and he had worn it well.

The lavender vest stood out just enough to make people marvel at the fact that the gunslinger was wearing something other than red, and the black jacket and pants made Vincent Valentine look regal. He stood with the same, stoic face, but Yuffie thought she could see surprise in his crimson eyes when she had walked to the front of the aisle and stood patiently across from him.

He looked at her like she had  _wanted_  him to look at her for five years.

It made her heart skip.

Perhaps the greatest surprise of all was when much of the wedding party realized that Vincent's long, black hair was free of its familiar red bandana and tied in a ponytail behind him. Vincent had not handled the idea of cutting his hair well and Tifa was fretful that she wouldn't know what to do with it if the gunslinger refused to cooperate in some way.

Yuffie's smile broadened as she closed her eyes and relived the memory of the last night she and Vincent had practiced.

She and Vincent had been working out the final details for the dance they had to perform at the reception when Vincent had mentioned that Tifa wanted him to cut his hair. On any other day, Yuffie would question why the gunslinger gave a hoot about what Tifa said, but the ninja could see that Vincent was conflicted in choosing between what had made him and pleasing the friends that he had come to cherish.

The only reason Yuffie remembered this conversation word for word was because the gunslinger had asked her what she thought he should do.

Yuffie had been flabbergasted. What could she have said?

After a few moments of silence, Yuffie had smiled and shook her head. The best part of the memory was when she had told Vincent she liked him the way he was, and that if he was willing, she thought she had a solution that would make everyone happy.

She had taken the lavender ribbon off of her Matron bouquet and removed the gunslinger's bandana that held his long, black mane at bay. Using her fingers as combs, Yuffie had separated Vincent's bangs from the rest of his hair and tied the lavender ribbon around the longer part to keep it neat and together at his backside.

She had thought she was a genius. Plus, it matched the wedding colors. That would make Tifa forget all about the fact that Vincent's hair was still long.

Vincent had looked at her with the same eyes he had looked at her with at the wedding.

Yuffie came back to herself as she sighed and opened her eyes.

The gunslinger always acted like he wanted to say something to her, but he never did, and she never pressured him for fear he would not want to be around her anymore. Vincent wasn't much of a talker, she knew that, but with Vincent, she sensed that it was simply his presence that made her feel safe and loved. She only needed to know that Vincent was beside her or nearby to stop being afraid.

She had courage when he was with her.

Yuffie lifted her head as she digested all of this and remembered how weird Vincent's face had looked after Godo had announced her arranged marriage. The look was foreign to the ninja and she could never recall seeing it before. It almost had looked like he was. . .

"Sad." she whispered as the dragonflies continued to dart below her. "Vincent looked sad when he heard my old man."

This puzzled the ninja because she knew that Vincent Valentine could never love her. He  _wouldn't_  love her. He was still in love with the woman he had let down. If anyone was to have a chance with the gunslinger, it would have to be Shelke because the young woman carried what was left of Lucrecia Crescent in her memories.

Yuffie sadly bowed her head and glared.

Sometimes life was really unfair.

"Facts are facts, Yuf." the ninja whispered to herself as she stared at the water with half open eyes. "You have nothing to offer him. Nothing but a pain in the ass and he doesn't need that, now does he? I mean, who does?"

Nothing but the sounds of the night answered Yuffie as the ninja sighed and lifted her head a little.

"Obviously my father." she answered spitefully. "Because if he makes me get married, that's all I'll be to the bastard."

Before Yuffie had a chance to rant with herself further, a sudden rustling from the trees nearby caused the ninja to bolt to her feet. She instinctively reached behind herself for the shuriken she kept at her backside and felt her heart drop as her fingers grasped nothing but air.

That's right.

A weapon didn't belong at a peaceful wedding.

Yuffie's eyes grew wide and her heart began to race as she drew her hand back and tried to control her fear. She knew that if the foe in the trees was a formidable opponent with a decent weapon she stood no chance at defeating them. Her strength was with her shuriken and her materia skills. She had neither and she had not practiced hand to hand combat in months.

The ninja glared and began to assume a fighting stance.

It didn't matter.

She wasn't going to get married, she wasn't going back to Wutai, and no one on Gaia's green planet was going to take her alive.

She'd blindly fight to the death.

However, in her attempt to get into a position in order to fight the intruder, Yuffie's foot slipped off of the rock she had been perched upon and she lost her balance. In that instant, as she made her way toward the water below, Yuffie Kisaragi knew that fighting would be useless.

Birds squawked and flew out of the canopy as the ninja hit the water with a splash. The dragonflies and fireflies shot out of the way and buzzed overhead as the ninja thrashed through the taffeta fabric around her and the cold water rushed into her nose and mouth. She broke through the surface of the water and coughed violently as tremors ran through her body. The breeze was frigid now as Yuffie struggled to wipe the water out of her face. Upon completing the task, the ninja looked down at the ruined dress as tears started to fill her eyes.

Now she was wet, alone, and doomed.

Life couldn't get any worse.

But, Yuffie's defense mechanism slowly kicked in as she felt her fear turn to anger. She glared miserably and ripped the moss out of her hair as she slammed her other hand through the surface of the water causing it to splash all over her. Her grey eyes were defiant through the damp, ebony curtains as the ninja started screaming.

"Come out you horrible son of a bitch!" she started as her dress floated up around her.

She splashed the water again and searched the trees surrounding her as she continued.

"If you have the balls to fight me, come out and face me! I've got nothing to lose! You stand a good sporting chance to kill the only heir of the Wutai throne! Come on out, you stupid jerk. If you want me you're going to have to come out eventually, because I would rather freeze my ass off in this pond than chase you down you miserable asshole.

"COME OUT YOU STUPID, MALICIOUS BASTARD! KILL ME AND GET IT OVER WITH BECAUSE I AM NEVER GOING HOME! DO YOU HEAR ME? NEVER!"

At this point, Yuffie's voice was at a full tilt and her last few lines were in violent, spitting Wutainese. By the time the ninja had finished, she had collapsed into the shallows of the pool and sat with the cold water around her legs and waist as she gasped for air and lowered her head. She put her palms deep into the sand of the bank as tears fell from her eyes.

"Just kill me so I don't have to go on like this. . ." she breathed hoarsely.

After a few moments, she heard the tree branches rustling again, but she made no attempt to move or to raise her head. She simply didn't care anymore. How anyone could have ever found this place was beyond her. Much of this part of the forest was unexplored save for her and the creatures that lived here. She couldn't remember anyone else daring to come in here because of the monsters. She had always thought this was her safe place. Through all of the trauma of her life, Yuffie Kisaragi had always thought this place would never come under attack by those that sought to hurt her-or force her into marriage, for that matter.

Yuffie heard footsteps on the earth in front of her, but still she did not move. She closed her eyes tightly and prayed that her attacker would make quick work of her, but after a few seconds of nothing, the ninja grew weary. Her legs were numb from cold and she was trembling so much her muscles were beginning to hurt.

Finally, a voice spoke out from above her as a shadow fell across her.

"I don't think I am a malicious bastard, Yuffie. One or the other, maybe, but not both."

Yuffie's head came up with a start and she gasped with wide eyes as the moonlight reflected off of Vincent Valentine's long, black hair and red cloak. Tears spilled over her cheeks as she shivered and shook her head.

"Vincent?"

Vincent quickly reached out and caught the ninja as her pale, slender arms buckled and she came close to dipping below the surface of the water again. He gently pulled Yuffie out of the water and eased her to her feet as the ninja stumbled and grabbed hold of his arms for support. She trembled violently and coughed as she shook her head and looked up at the gunslinger.

"What. . .what are you doing here? How. . .how did you. . .find me?" she stammered as she hugged her arms to her chest. "And. . .how did you know I called you a malicious bastard?"

"I came here to find you." Vincent answered softly as he unbuckled the snaps on his mantle. "You told me how to get here, remember? We were on a stakeout mission and you were nervous. When you're nervous you start talking about things from your homeland to calm you down. You described this place in great detail that night. I used what you had said to find it myself. Though, I must say, Yuffie, despite your overactive imagination, you left a lot to be imagined when you described the way. I would have found you sooner except I got lost, attacked, and threatened."

Yuffie stared at Vincent with wide eyes and a slightly slack lower jaw as the gunslinger removed the cloak from his shoulders and threw it around her own. The smell of earth, iron, and gunpowder filled her nostrils as Vincent gently wrapped Yuffie in the crimson fabric. Yuffie was small and the cloak was nearly three times her size so she was fully bound by the gunslinger before he slowly pulled his hands away from her.

She shook her head with a bit of disillusion.

"And. . .the Wutainese?" she asked faintly.

Vincent's crimson eyes shimmered in the moonlight as he repeated Yuffie's last few phrases in a perfect, native accent.

Yuffie's jaw dropped as the gunslinger smiled a little and looked down at the ground.

"Hmm. I didn't know you knew half of those words, Yuffie." he said softly. "You are coarse, but I would have never guessed vulgar."

"You are Wutainese?" Yuffie exclaimed.

Vincent nodded.

"To be sure, I think." he replied. "But that was a long time ago. I just remember speaking the language."

The fear that Vincent had understood Godo at the wedding reception filled Yuffie's mind as she looked down with pain and searched the ground for what she should say next. The tension between her and the gunslinger suddenly became awkward as she winced. She tried to avoid the subject as she looked up at Vincent again.

"Wait. You said you remember me talking about this place?" she asked suddenly.

Vincent nodded.

"Yes."

Yuffie was surprised as she looked away, distantly.

"I have never told anyone about this place. It has always been my little secret." she said softly.

She smiled a little and turned her gaze back to Vincent.

"I must have been really scared."

"We were on lookout duty at night in the Forgotten City right after Kadaj and his gang had been defeated." Vincent responded quietly. "And, yes, you were extremely frightened."

"Oh! I remember now." Yuffie said with a start.

She growled.

"Cloud wouldn't do it himself, the jerk. He just wanted to get rid of me because I had been hanging out in the bar with Tifa and Marlene. Big meanie."

Vincent smiled a little and shook his head.

"You came out of that all right, though, didn't you?"

Yuffie smiled pitifully and shook her head back at the gunslinger.

"Hmm. I wouldn't go so far." she said softly.

She looked down at the ground for a moment before looking at Vincent with a nod.

"But. . .I guess I should be thanking you. . .for listening."

Vincent shook his head.

"I am always listening, Yuffie. I may not always respond, but I listen to every word you say." he said softly.

Yuffie smiled.

"Thanks, Vince. . .that means a lot to me." she said softly.

They were silent for a few moments as the owl that Yuffie had watched fly off earlier returned to his perch with a mouse in his beak. The night continued to descend as the moon made its way across the sky. Yuffie trembled again and bowed her head as another, fierce breeze blew through the clearing.

"I am sorry I didn't say anything, Yuffie."

Yuffie looked up at the gunslinger with a start as the owl rustled his feathers and fell silent again.

"What?" she whispered.

Vincent's crimson eyes narrowed a little as he looked down at the ground with a grim frown.

"At the reception, when Godo was saying all of those horrible things. I should have stopped him." he replied softly.

Yuffie was taken back by this and stood in front of Vincent with a blank face for a few seconds before she smiled and shook her head, trying to alleviate some of the tension running through her body.

"Vince, it's okay, really. No one can stop my old man when he's on a roll. He can't even stop himself! Don't worry about it. I'm the one that's sorry."

Vincent frowned and looked at Yuffie.

"What for?"

Yuffie smiled.

"I hit my old man with a shuriken, I punched Cloud in the face, and I kicked you in the chest. On top of all that, I ruined the dress Tifa hand made for me, and I acted like a child at a time when I should have waited until after everything was done at the reception. I made the bride cry, Vincent. How horrible can you get? I mean. . .I am the horrible brat that Cid tells me I am. I guess the sooner I accept that, the sooner I can stop feeling horrible about it and just be who I am!"

Tears had already started rolling down Yuffie's face, but by the time she had finished talking, her head had fallen and she was quietly sobbing into the fabric of Vincent's cloak. She was so immersed in crying and pain that she did not pull away or gasp when Vincent silently pulled her into his arms.

Yuffie instinctively buried her face in his chest as her tears spilled over her cheeks and slid down Vincent's shirt. She felt his arms wrap around her and hold her gently against his chest as the wind rustled the leaves in the trees. This, for some odd reason, caused the ninja to cry harder and her body literally buckled under the strain of the cold and her pain.

Vincent looked down at the ninja in his arms and supported her weight as her body collapsed against him.

He didn't know what to say or do to comfort his companion as he gently brushed the hair out of her face with his right hand and made sure that the metallic digits on his gauntlet did not scratch her as he shook his head and spoke softly.

"Yuffie, you are not horrible, and that isn't who you really are."

Yuffie did not answer as she continued to cry and shake. Her skin was pallid and dull and her breaths were coming in short, poignant gasps as the ninja's head slipped across Vincent's chest.

Vincent quickly stopped Yuffie from going anywhere and gently lifted her face up toward his as the ninja's countenance tightened in a horrible grimace of pain. Her breaths were nearly non-existent as the ninja's eyes got distant and her body tremored.

"Yuffie, you must calm down. You need to breathe!" the gunslinger hissed softly as he tried to shake the ninja a little.

Yuffie gasped for air as the sudden realization that she was having a panic attack struck her. Her eyes narrowed as tears continued to stream down her face and her chest burned.

_I haven't had one of these since. . .since, my mother died. . ._

Vincent's eyes widened with a start as Yuffie's eyes began to roll back and her body was falling lax in his arms. He shook his head slowly as he frowned.

"You're not giving up that way, Yuffie! I'm not letting you."

There was a sudden burst of feeling in the ninja's lungs as Yuffie vainly tried to keep hold of her consciousness. The warm, wet sensation against her mouth was startling, and she could not quite place the feeling she was having as the sensation vanished for a few seconds and then returned.

Another burst of air went into the ninja's lungs.

"Dammit, Yuffie. . .don't throw everything away like this.  _Breathe_ , Yuffie!"

_These are what princess dreams are made of, aren't they. . ._

"Please, Yuffie."

_I'm so cold. What is happening? How did Vincent remember everything I had told him? Everything's gone all wrong. Vincent's wrong. I'm exactly what everyone says I am-a pain. I'd rather die than go back. I have no one that would miss me._

"Please, Yuffie. . .please, don't leave me."

The ninja took a full fledged gasp as her eyes came open and Vincent pulled his lips from hers. The gunslinger's face was a mixture of relief and surprise as Yuffie coughed and shook violently in his embrace. The ninja collapsed completely and Vincent gently eased their bodies to the ground as Yuffie's head rested over his right arm.

Vincent trembled more from fright than anything as he gently leaned the ninja upright and eased her head against his chest so that his head could rest upon hers. He painfully winced as he listened to the ninja's frantic heartbeat in her chest and felt her shivering against him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her as he took a deep, unsteady breath.

"Don't you ever think that you are not needed here, Yuffie." he whispered softly in his familiar stoicism. "Your worth is invaluable."

Yuffie closed her eyes as her breaths started to come in easier gasps. Tears silently fell from her eyes as the gunslinger held her head upright with his own. She felt Vincent's heartbeat against her skin and was surprised to feel it beating terribly fast for the gunslinger beside her. Even his breathing was abnormally labored as Yuffie slowly opened her eyes.

"I. . ."

Vincent lowered his eyes and frowned.

Her life outweighed his own.

If it wasn't said now, it would never be said.

"Yuffie, I need you." Vincent said softly. "I need you to stay alive, stay beside me, and I need you to be the ninja I know. No one could ever take your place by my side. You have been loyal and true throughout our entire friendship, and you have made noble sacrifices for the good of everyone else. Yes, in all that time many of them have come to take your presence for granted, but that does not mean that all of your hard work has gone unnoticed. Yuffie, Tifa wasn't crying over her wedding. . . she was crying for  _you_  because you were so upset. You know Tifa would never raise her voice to you! You are like her sister. She wanted to come out here and look for you herself when you didn't come back. I had to  _assure_  her that I would find you. Don't you see, Yuffie," the gunslinger asked as he leaned his head away from Yuffie's and looked down at her, "you mean more than you know."

Yuffie looked at Vincent with startled, tear flooded eyes as the gunslinger turned his head away and frowned down at the earth. The ninja shook her head a little as her eyes partially closed and the sounds of the forest sang through the clearing. The owl above them hooted and quickly took flight again as Yuffie's head bobbed and she winced.

Nothing made sense.

"I think that was the longest thing I have ever heard you say."

Vincent looked at Yuffie as the ninja curled in toward his body and shivered. He had never seen the ninja so downcast. If there was something the gunslinger feared, he would say seeing the Great Ninja Yuffie so downtrodden would be that something.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled Yuffie in closer and sighed.

"Good to see you haven't lost  _all_  of your candor, Yuffie." he said softly.

The ninja's throat and chest burned as she let her head fall against Vincent's shoulder. Her eyes were half open and her lips were parted as she evened her breathing and enjoyed the warmth from her companion's body. If this had been happening on any other occasion, she would have been thrilled if not dead from shock, but at the present moment, Yuffie Kisaragi did not care about anything, not even herself.

She closed her eyes and sighed softly as Vincent's cheek touched her forehead and caused a warm, safe feeling to run through her veins. She listened to the gunslinger's steady heartbeat as the fireflies had once again descended upon the water and began flitting the surface.

"You're getting a fever, Yuffie." Vincent's voice spoke through the painful haze in the ninja's mind. "And you must not have eaten very much since you left Wutai."

Yuffie slowly opened her eyes.

"Hmm. I have eaten a bit. . ."

Vincent looked down at Yuffie as her flat monotone answered him.

This was not the Yuffie he knew. This was not the ninja that would stand up to anything even if she was scared half out of her wits. This young woman in his arms was not the beautiful, graceful princess he had fallen in love with. This woman was something much colder and broken. He knew the feeling; he'd been like that himself.

Vincent frowned as he began to lean back.

But when the pain had grown so large he thought he would not be able to rid himself of it, there had been a young, spunky ninja that had coached him onward. She had been his optimism and his comforting presence through the best and worst of times. Even if he treated her indifferently, she had never wandered and never let her hurt show. She had been his constant. He never worried or was afraid of what he was when she had been beside him. As long as she stood with him, he was who he wanted to be.

Yuffie Kisaragi had been his guiding light, his battle partner, and most of all, his friend.

Perhaps, then, it was only fitting that his turn to return the favor came at such a time for  _his_  ninja.

The moon fell across Vincent Valentine's back as he gently tilted Yuffie's face up and slowly put his lips against hers. The wind swept through the clearing again as the coyote pack that had been singing earlier started howling. The waterfall continued to splash as Yuffie's body tensed for a split second before completely falling against the gunslinger.

If this was the blink of an instant, it felt like an eternity.

Yuffie looked up at the gunslinger as Vincent slowly pulled away and looked back at her. His long, black bangs fell across his face as his crimson eyes shimmered in the moonlight. The ninja had been surprised by the kiss, but did not have the energy or words to voice that surprise. In fact, she was lucky she still had any cognizant thought left at all. She watched Vincent's face as his eyes narrowed and he looked away for a moment.

"Yuffie. . .I won't let you go through with this."

Now, Yuffie raised her eyebrows with a start and looked at the gunslinger with worry.

"What are you talking about, Vincent?" she asked softly.

Vincent returned his eyes to her face and frowned.

"I will not let  _anyone_  talk to you the way you were talked to several days ago." he said firmly. "And I will not let someone force you to do something you don't want to do."

Yuffie tilted her head to the side and took this in with distant eyes. She could not believe she was hearing this. It was one thing that Vincent had been listening to her when they had been on the Forgotten City mission. She could believe that, she guessed. She could even buy the fact that Vincent was Wutai native and  _did_ , in fact, hear everything Godo had said at Tifa's wedding. However, the one thing the ninja was  _sure_  of was that the  _real_  Vincent Valentine would never be talking to her like this. He didn't have it in him to do this with her.

He was in love with someone else, and she had only imagined the kiss this imaginary Vincent had given to her.

She was delusional.

Vincent sighed as Yuffie laughed half heartedly and shook her head. He watched as she slowly pulled away from him and half stumbled, half crawled to her feet. He slowly followed suit, though with better grace as Yuffie continued to laugh. His red cloak was starting to fall from around Yuffie's slender body as she stumbled for balance and put a hand against her forehead. Though she was weak and getting sick, her body looked radiant in the moonlight streaming through the canopy above. Vincent slowly held out his arms in a gesture meant to steady the ninja, but the young woman warded him off and giggled.

"I must be going crazy." Yuffie started with a small smile and half open eyes. "Because I thought, for just a brief moment, there, that  _you_ , Vincent Valentine, had kissed me. Then, you spouted off some crazy nonsense about stopping my father from marrying me to some uppity bastard from his council."

Vincent winced a little as the ninja laughed wholeheartedly and threw her arms out at her sides.

Yuffie looked at him with a cross between pain and happiness.

"This is the best dream I've ever had!"

"Yuffie. . ."

The gunslinger held out his hand as the ninja picked up the torn skirts of her dress and intertwined them with the folds of his cloak as she threw up her free arm and spun around causing the fabric of her dress to spin around her. Again, despite the circumstances, Vincent found the movement to be beautiful. He kept his eyes on the moving ninja and moved forward protectively as she stumbled and fell to her knees.

However, Yuffie just continued to laugh and didn't stop as Vincent slowly knelt down beside her. Her laughter quieted as Vincent gently put his right hand against the skin of her arm and looked at her with eyes the ninja had not seen before. She looked up at him with a fever blush prominent in her cheeks as the gunslinger shook his head.

"This isn't a dream, Yuffie. You're just getting sick."

Vincent's voice was surprisingly flat as he looked down at the ground and frowned with intensity.

He wasn't angry with Yuffie. She couldn't help the fact that he had startled her and she had fallen into the cold water. She must have braved at least three, cool nights in the gown hardly made to cover the body let alone provide warmth against the elements. He couldn't hold that against her. He was angry with himself.

The one time he had found his own courage was the one night the one he had wanted to remember it wouldn't.

He sighed as Yuffie giggled and fell over her own lap.

"Let me take you back, Yuffie."

Yuffie's laughter died instantly and the ninja looked up with such vehemence that Vincent was startled. He leaned back and withdrew his hand as Yuffie glared and shook her head.

"No."

Vincent got to his feet and watched as Yuffie pulled herself upright and started walking away from him. He winced again as the ninja stumbled and reached out for a tree trunk for support.

"Yuffie, you have been out in the elements for over three days. You are tired, malnourished, and you are getting sick. If you stay out here alone you will die. You don't have a weapon and you are in no condition to fight. Please, Yuffie. Let me take you. . ."

"I said NO, dammit." Yuffie snapped as she turned and looked at Vincent.

Her eyes were cruel and narrow as her wet hair fell into her face. She trembled despite herself and dug her fingers into the tree trunk to keep herself steady. She didn't know what kind of delusion turned on the one imagining it, but the ninja knew that she was tired of it and would have no more part in it.

"I would rather die than go back there." Yuffie hissed. "There is nothing waiting for me there except a wedding kimono five sizes too small and a lot of memories. So, if it's all the same to you, Vincent, delusion, or whatever the hell is going on right now, then just leave me alone, okay? I'm nothing but a pain in the ass to everyone, and I seriously doubt anyone will miss me for too long, so. . ."

The movement was sudden and Yuffie had no time to react to it as the wind rustled through the leaves of the tree above her. Her eyes widened for a moment as Vincent walked toward her and pulled her into his arms. The gunslinger put his lips against hers in defiance of her accusations and put his right hand against the ninja's face. Yuffie's eyes closed as her ability to reason suddenly kicked in and she realized she was not imagining anything. Her arms slowly rose as her fingers wrapped around Vincent's arms.

This was real.

Everything about this moment was tangible.

Tears slowly slid down the ninja's face as Vincent reluctantly pulled away from the ninja and opened his eyes. He watched her for a moment as the ninja's eyelids fluttered before narrowly opening to allow her red, ashen eyes to see. After a few more moments, the gunslinger carefully placed his fingers underneath Yuffie's eyes and gently wiped away her tears. He looked at her earnestly as he shook his head.

"How dare you assume no one will miss you, Yuffie Kisaragi." he said softly.

His eyes were intense as Yuffie looked up at him.

"I had nothing to go on but a well spoken description and a vague idea as to your whereabouts, but I still came out here to look for you. I have gone through nearly three cases of ammunition because the monsters are so thick through these woods that I have been firing my handgun nearly every three minutes. I was attacked by an unfamiliar enemy and I am bleeding in gods know where from the injuries I sustained fighting it. Next to stumbling around blind sighted, being thrashed by the largest tree I have ever seen, and encountering several of your father's best soldiers, I would have to say, Yuffie, that I care a helluva lot more about you than any other human alive and I very  _much_  give a damn about you. So, don't let me hear those words come out of your mouth again."

Yuffie was speechless.

In her silence, Vincent breathed heavily and looked away as he tried to calm himself.  If it wasn't plainly obvious now, it would be in a few moments. He winced and slowly pulled his arms away as his eyes closed. He had tried so hard to keep the relationship mutual between him and the ninja. He didn't want to lead her on at first, but in the end, Yuffie was the one doing the leading and he had followed.

There was something irresistible in Yuffie's nature. It was something that kept spreading from person to person when she entered a room. Though he had never said it aloud, he had always welcomed Yuffie when she had been beside him. That is why he never yelled at her or scolded her even when she did deserve it. He had too much admiration for her constant cheer to be upset with her. To continue to be so upbeat and merry in a world full of sadness and chaos was a harder burden than anyone gave the White Rose credit for. Yuffie's smile had never been fake-until now.

True, Yuffie should have tried harder to control herself, but when Godo had literally accused her of murdering her own mother, even Vincent's heart had turned cold. No one deserved that kind of pain. Vincent was very much aware of the strong bond Yuffie and her mother had before Yuffie's mother died years ago. Vincent, though he had never heard the entire story, fully believed that it was an accident. Yuffie had been frightened and something had happened causing an accident to occur. A mother's love for her child outweighed everything else when the child was in danger. The mother would do what she had to. . .to ensure the child's safety.

Vincent glared as he turned away from Yuffie and felt his anger for the Wutainese ruler rise.

No father should ever call his daughter an abomination.

"I had no intention of taking you back to Wutai, Yuffie." Vincent said softly as he looked over his shoulder. "Away from here, yes. . .but not back to Wutai."

There was a reason that Godo wanted Yuffie to marry this certain male on his council. Vincent knew it the minute he had spotted the groom-to-be at the reception. The way the man had carried himself, the way he had looked when he had heard the announcement, it had made Vincent's blood boil.

"You won't face your father alone. I meant it when I said I refuse to let you marry someone against your will. You have stood by me when I deserved it the least, and I have never had the opportunity to repay you for that kindness. You've allowed me much of the freedom I've missed in my life." Vincent said softly as he looked down at the ground. "So, in return, I will stand by you. I won't let you suffer through this alone. . .I know you don't want to, Yuffie. . .and I do miss who you are on the inside. Your cheer means more to me than anything. Seeing you cry makes me. . ."

Vincent stopped as his eyes searched the earth for the words he wanted to speak.

Finally, he sighed and shook his head with his eyes narrowed.

". . .it makes me feel like I have let you down." he breathed. "It makes me hurt. I'm not very good at it, Yuffie, but I can remember over time. . .how. . .how to protect someone. . .with everything I have."

Vincent fell silent as his eyes closed and he felt a large weight shift from his shoulders and fall to the earth below. His heartbeat released and his breath eased through his loosened lungs as the wind pushed his long, black hair around his backside.

This was it.

It was her life over his.

"Vincent!"

Vincent was startled and didn't have time to turn around as Yuffie plowed into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He gasped as he heard her sobbing as the ninja buried her head in his back. He lifted his arms and looked down and around himself so he could see her better as the ninja trembled and shook her head.

"I'm so sorry, Vincent!" Yuffie whispered as tears streamed down her face. "I never meant it like I said it! Not towards  _you_ , anyway! I just. . .I just don't want this. I don't want marriage to someone I don't love. I didn't mean to ruin Tifa's wedding. I didn't even mean to hit my old man, but I didn't know what else to do! I am always afraid. I am not brave or strong. . .not really. I just try to be happy and cheerful so people can stand me for five minutes. Please, Vince. . .I didn't mean to be angry with  _you_. I didn't want you to be hurt. I always feel. . .I always feel safe when you're near me. I'm so strong and brave around  _you_  because your presence lets me know everything will be okay. You. . .you make me feel how I want to be, too! Please, Vincent. . .please, I'm sorry!"

Yuffie pulled away as Vincent quickly turned around. She winced and waited for him to say something hurtful or mean, like she deserved, but nothing came. Yuffie gasped as the gunslinger wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest.

Tears continued to fall from Yuffie's eyes as the wind rustled through the canopy and the crimson gunslinger silently held her in his arms. The dragonflies from the pond made tiny buzzing noises as several of them swerved to avoid the fireflies that continued to lazily float across water's surface. Yuffie's eyes narrowed as she listened to Vincent's heartbeat. After a few more seconds, she let her eyes close and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

This was more than she deserved.

What was making the gunslinger act so weird? He would have never comforted her like this before. What could have possibly brought this on?

As if anticipating her questions, Vincent opened his eyes and frowned a little.

"I don't want you to be unhappy, Yuffie. You have the right to choose. No one should force someone to do something against his or her will. I'm only sorry I did not do something sooner and that it took me so long to find you." the gunslinger said softly. "If anything can be said, Yuffie, it is that I have been meaning to say what I have said tonight for nearly two years."

Yuffie was surprised and slowly pulled away so she could see Vincent's face. She looked up at the long, pale face she had grown accustomed to seeing behind a red mantle. Vincent had a very graceful jaw. His face was strong and masculine, but also had that feminine flare that Yuffie had never noticed before. It made Vincent's eyes stand out more and the ninja suddenly had the desire to reach up and touch the gunslinger's cheek.

Vincent calmly watched Yuffie as the ninja's fingers came up hesitantly and gently caressed the side of his face. His crimson eyes narrowed only slightly as the soft, feather light touch eased itself along his cheekbone and down his jaw line. He blinked slowly so he wouldn't miss seeing the wonder on Yuffie's face.

The ninja was like a small child. To him, she  _was_  a child, but she carried the weight of someone much older.

Yuffie looked up into Vincent's eyes as the gunslinger raised his right hand and wrapped his fingers around hers. Her eyes sparkled with the remnants of tears as she felt a question burning in the air. She waited for a few moments as she watched Vincent's eyes narrow. She had never seen Vincent Valentine so hung up for words. It was incredible that what was happening right in front of her was not a dream. She smiled a little as she sensed what Vincent wanted to know.

"You want to know who the man I'm betrothed to is, don't you, Vincent?" she asked softly.

She laughed softly as Vincent looked at her with his trademark 'startled' look.

"His name is Nicoli Patrice. He is not a Wutai native, but his father was, and his father just happened to be the best, damn commander my father ever had. When Nicoli's father died in the Wutai War, my father took Nicoli under his wing. While he endangered my life and let me run around like a heathen, he taught Nicoli all of the basics of ruling the country and Nicoli blossomed of his own accord from there. He actually holds my father in the greatest respect, but like my father, has a bitter spot for me because I don't worship the ground Godo walks on like _he_ does. I don't know why I was so surprised my father wanted me to marry him. I should have noticed myself."

Vincent was silent as Yuffie smiled sadly.

She looked up at Vincent with a shrug.

"Godo taught Nicoli all he needs to rule a country. . .but he didn't teach  _me_  a damn thing. Nicoli can't be king unless I marry him. . .or get killed or something crazy insane like that. So, in order to put the man he wants on the throne, my old man is betrothing me to him. Hmm. Seems to be a fitting end, I guess."

During this sentence, Yuffie had pulled away from Vincent and turned away. As she kept her back turned, Yuffie winced and wrapped her arms around herself. Fathers were supposed to  _love_  their daughters, not marry them to inconsiderate pricks simply to have a country ruled the 'correct' way. Yuffie had never understood why her father bothered keeping track of her if he didn't love her. She knew Godo blamed her for her mother's death. He made  _that_ plainly obvious, however, at the wedding ceremony.

Yuffie winced as she heard Godo's voice screaming at her from the past.

_You horrible, wretched abomination! I begged your mother to have you killed at birth. Your presence in this land fell on such a horrible pattern of stars that I knew you would bring nothing but ruin to Wutai! Wutai needs an honorable, intelligent ruler upon my death! You are neither! You sicken me! I try to match you with someone you are familiar with and you treat me as though you have no respect! Mark my words, girl, I will have my way, and if you know anything about your father, you know that I am not lying!_

Tears slid over Yuffie's cheeks as she looked at the ground.

"I should have never been born. . .how awful is it when your father calls you an abomination?"

Yuffie put her face in her hands and quietly sobbed as Vincent slowly walked forward and slid his arms around her. He pulled the ninja back against his body and put his cheek on the top of her head as she cried. His eyes were narrowed as he looked out at the trees and listened to Yuffie's quiet hiccups.

He didn't know what to do to bring Yuffie's happiness back. She was in pain and it killed him not knowing how to ease it. He did not know what it was like to have a father like Godo. His father had not been around a lot, but he had still been a father and he had loved him. His mother had died when he was young, and though he did not remember much of her, he knew that she was warm and kind to him and his sisters. He was never mistreated as a child. All of his nightmares had occurred in adulthood, long after he had given others nightmares of their own.

In a way, Vincent did not hold what Hojo did to him against the insane scientist. Don't get him wrong, Vincent gave the loon plenty of credit for what he was, but the gunslinger had not been free of guilt himself. He had been a Turk, a ruthless gunslinger for those that killed when things did not go Shinra's way. He murdered people because someone told him to. He had been a drone whether he thought that at the time or not. He was a tool used for the purpose of procuring fear and compliance.

Yes. Vincent Valentine had a lot to regret, and if one, mad scientist's insanity had caused him to be what he is now, then Vincent could only assume that he was lucky.

He deserved worse.

"Yuffie, I don't know how to ease your pain." Vincent said softly as his crimson eyes looked through the darkness of the trees surrounding them. "I don't know what to say to make your smile come back, or what to do to make everything go away, but I don't want you to be sad forever. You aren't an abomination, and your mother must have loved you very much. I know she did. No mother would give up her life for a child she didn't want. She loved you, Yuffie. . .and I am sure she still does."

Yuffie's hands slowly came away from her face as she looked at the ground through blurry eyes. She could smell earth mixed with gunpowder and iron as Vincent kept his arms firmly wrapped around her. The ninja could feel that Vincent was afraid to let her go. Something in his touch alerted her to the fact that he was afraid that if he let her go, she would slip away from him. This made the ninja's eyes narrow warmly as she smiled a little. She gently rested her fingers against his as they rested on her shoulder. She rested her head against the arm that was draped over her shoulder and across her chest as she smiled full-heartedly.

Her happiness was only  _because_  of him.

"You don't have to say anything, Vince. See?"

Vincent reluctantly relinquished his hold on the ninja as Yuffie turned around and smiled a soft, bright smile he had never seen before. He looked at her with a bit of wonder as the ninja's face radiated with the smile on her lips. The smile she had before was always childish and carefree. She used it frivolously and didn't care who saw it.  _This_  smile she was displaying now, however, was more mature and reserved. Though it held just as much happiness and wonder as all of her other smiles, this one seemed to be for the two of them. Something in Yuffie's eyes let the gunslinger know that she understood, and that he didn't need to say anything else.

His presence was enough.

Yuffie watched with a small shrug of her shoulders as Vincent looked down at the ground and his long, black hair shielded his face from view. She waited for a few moments before shaking her head and reaching out to the gunslinger.

"Vincent?" she asked softly.

She gasped softly as Vincent slowly lifted his head and looked at her with. . .a smile?

Her eyes were wide as she watched Vincent's pale lips curl upward into a wonderful arc. Though he had been stoic and cool much of their time together, Yuffie Kisaragi had always suspected that Vincent Valentine had it in him to smile just like anyone else she knew. She had always hoped that she would be friends with the gunslinger long enough to see it, and though she had come close to making him laugh a few times, she had never seen the smile he was giving her right now.

She felt special. . .honored even.

Yuffie's eyes narrowed warmly as she laughed.

"Why, Vincent Valentine, you  _can_  smile. Well, hot damn, I guess I owe Tifa 20 gil."

Vincent's smile broadened of its own accord as he shook his head silently.

Yuffie smiled and closed her eyes. This was all she needed. This was the presence she craved because it made her feel beautiful inside. She didn't worry about who she upset because she'd been born. She didn't worry about how childish she was because Vincent never treated her like a child- _ever_. Hell, Yuffie didn't even care that she was freezing cold, nearly naked, and wrapped in a cloak that was oddly suggestive to anyone else who may have seen it. None of that mattered because when Vincent Valentine was near her, Yuffie Kisaragi felt whole.

The night's sounds were interrupted by a subtle noise that sounded like bodies rustling through leaves. It's presence was so minute, Yuffie had barely heard it, but when the sound had reached her ears, she glared and looked around the canopy.

Vincent frowned and turned like Yuffie as the sound reached his own ears, though in greater intensity. He felt his anger rise as he remembered the soldiers from yesterday.

He had been pushing through the entrance of the darker forest when he'd been ambushed by some of Wutai's finest. They had tried to ask him what his business was, but when he revealed to them that he was a Wutai native and was simply moving about the land, they had little to go on. He had thought he'd lost them by winding through the trees and intentionally getting himself lost, but one of them must have trailed him and followed him here. When it had become obvious as to where he was going, the scout must have gone back to the rest of the pack.

Vincent drew Cerberus and aimed as a shuriken struck the ground at his feet. He fired the weapon, leapt back, and took Yuffie into his arms as he held the weapon up again to fire another round. His eyes narrowed as a dark figure fell from a treetop and hit the ground with a thud.

_There has to be more of them. . ._

Yuffie gasped and shrank back a little as nearly 25 men came out of the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Vincent glared and kept Yuffie behind him as one of the soldiers clad in black slowly walked forward away from the others. He removed a black mask and revealed a pale face with dark, brooding eyes that Vincent recognized instantly. He felt Yuffie shudder against him and clutch the back of his shirt tightly as Nicoli Patrice smiled a little and shook his head.

"I must say, Mr. Valentine, you are a wonderful shot. Well done. You saved me the trouble of having to punish him later for being careless." the soldier replied. "And, thank you. I don't think we would have found the princess if you hadn't led us here to begin with."

Again, Vincent felt Yuffie's fingers tighten and he shook his head slightly as he kept his eyes, and Cerberus, fully trained on Nicoli.

"If anyone deserves the credit it is your scout that managed to stay out of my way the entire time I struggled through the forest." Vincent responded hatefully as he glared. "I had no intention of helping you or your Emperor. I  _still_ have no intention of helping."

Vincent silently thanked Yuffie for trusting him and he felt her fingers loosen at his back. He kept his left arm out in front of her as the gauntlet shimmered threateningly in the pale moonlight. He watched as Nicoli laughed softly and shook his head.

"I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter, Vincent Valentine. Princess Yuffie is obligated to fulfill her duties to her kingdom." Nicoli said as he walked forward a little.

His smile was wicked as his eyes narrowed.

"And her future husband."

Vincent did not flinch as he cocked his weapon and felt Yuffie shudder again. Though he was infuriated, and the demons clouding his mind threatened to take over the sanity he possessed, Vincent maintained his calm and kept his face void as Nicoli stopped within inches of Cerberus's triple barrels.

Nicoli grinned.

"Protecting her is useless, Vincent. Come, now, we both know that you and Yuffie are not fit for one another let alone yourselves. Yuffie's place is beside someone who can rule a country with dignity and pride. Someone with a past deeply rooted to Wutai's heart. Surely you want what's best for Yuffie and the land she loves."

Vincent frowned.

"I may not be half the man you are, Nicoli, but I am twice as strong, and I have no intention of handing Yuffie Kisaragi over to you without a fight."

Yuffie looked up at Vincent from the protection of his gauntlet and his tall, sturdy body. Though he was standing right in front of her, she was terrified beyond reason. She knew that Nicoli could be a horrible snake in battle and in affairs that dealt directly with his person. Nicoli Patrice did not take matters of statehood lightly and he was power hungry. The two combined with one another made for a ridiculously dangerous situation and Yuffie found herself at the heart of it.

She winced as her eyes trailed over Vincent's back and she saw the wounds that he had spoken of earlier. Dried blood was caked along gashes and tears in his shirt as the gunslinger continued to use his body as a shield. She closed her eyes completely and pressed herself against Vincent as tears silently slid down her face.

Nicoli had noticed Yuffie's timid figure behind the massive human in front of him and he frowned a little.

"Princess, please, stop this foolishness." he said exasperatingly. "You are the only heir to the Wutai throne and you are the only one that can legally rule this land. Your father has arranged our marriage as a fit arrangement for his daughter and his country. He is only looking out for you and you are being an inconsiderate child. You must continue on with the Kisaragi line. It is your duty as princess."

"What would you know about duty, Nicoli?"

Yuffie's voice spoke up from behind Vincent before the gunslinger could retort anything back. Vincent's eyes did not wander from Nicoli's face as the gunslinger kept his weapon lined with Nicoli's head. His anger was resolute, but he heard Yuffie's swelling from the bottom of her heart.

Nicoli glared a little as Yuffie looked out from behind Vincent.

"I know that it is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly." he said coldly. "You have a job here, and you do it."

"Really?" Yuffie asked with a start. "Hmm. Because I seem to remember doing everything my father told me when I was a child. Yes, yes I do believe he told me to go and  _gather_  materia so that I could restore Wutai to its former glory. Yes, I did that, and then when I thought it would make that old bastard happy, he turns around and sends me out to the training fields. It was never my job to rule. I have done what was  _demanded_  of me and nothing has changed so I refuse to do it anymore.

"You, on the other hand, Nicoli, have done nothing but step on who you had to just to get what you wanted."

Nicoli's stare turned deadly as his eyes narrowed.

"You walk on thin ice, princess."

Yuffie ignored him.

"You would only go so far as the danger didn't affect you. That's why your father really died, isn't it, Nicoli? You ran away because the battle got too dangerous, and you left your father to ruin because he stood in your way. You're just a coward and no more fit to rule Wutai than I am."

Vincent glared and prepared to retaliate against Nicoli as the soldier stepped forward, but Nicoli stopped, looked down at the ground, and smiled a little. The gunslinger felt an ominous feeling pass through his blood as he reached for Yuffie.

"Oh, Yuffie. . .you poor, helpless wretch." Nicoli murmured as he raised his head with a grin. "Of course I am not fit for battle. I am brains, not brawn. You, on the other hand, are strong, agile, and can easily fight the battles I cannot. Why else do you think your father wanted us to marry. You'd defend the kingdom while I ran it. The combination would be unstoppable. Then again," Nicoli paused with a frown, "if I would have had my way, I would have beaten you into shape a long time ago. A woman is supposed to know her place. You are no more fit a bride than a princess, filthy savage."

"That's enough."

Vincent's eyes were a fierce crimson now as he felt Yuffie slip away from him slightly. He knew that if the situation escalated anymore, he'd lose control and Yuffie would be in even more danger. He glared as Nicoli laughed.

"Vincent, you should see it as plain as anyone." Nicoli said shaking his head. "She's no good for anything except  _using_. She's lucky to be alive at all. All of that strength and no brains to back it up. It's a pity, really."

"Stop it."

Vincent had heard Yuffie whisper from behind him and he felt the storm crest as Nicoli laughed again and continued.

"At least our children will have the best of both worlds, brains and brawn. Hopefully, Yuffie will be a better mother than she was a child. It would be terrible if a child killed a parent. . ."

"I SAID STOP IT!"

The clearing was a cloud of darkness as Yuffie sprang out from behind Vincent and launched herself forward, her fists out. Vincent had not been expecting the maneuver and could not grab Yuffie and keep his weapon on Nicoli. As Yuffie made to strike the laughing soldier, several more soldiers came into the clearing and moved in on Vincent. Vincent glared, his eyes a threatening shade of red as he fired Cerberus and one of the dark figures fell to the ground.

As Vincent tried to disperse the advancing footmen, Yuffie struck at Nicoli and vainly hit air as the soldier stepped out of the way. He humored her for a while and circled around her as he watched the ninja punch, kick, and grab. Finally, after a few moments, Nicoli thrust his hand out and grabbed a fistful of Yuffie's hair and yanked the young woman to a halt. Yuffie winced in horrible pain, but did not cry out. She looked at the sinister man above her with tears still in her eyes as Nicoli lowered his head toward hers.

"Listen, you little bitch." Nicoli hissed with a cold glare. "I don't like this arrangement anymore than  _you_  like the arrangement. I deserve better. But once I am ruler of Wutai, I will  _get_  what I deserve. I only need you as the means, Yuffie, my dear.  No one ever wanted you, no one wants you now. Do you honestly think that horrible beast fighting for you right now could ever love someone like you? He can't even love himself let alone another human being. You're worthless, Yuffie, and you will only have worth as a vessel for my children. I only hope that when they are born they lack your physique and sheer amount of stupidity."

Yuffie trembled with pain and fear as Nicoli spoke such cruel words and yanked on her hair again. Though her body ached, and she was afraid, Yuffie glared hatefully and looked at Nicoli.

"You will  _never_  rule Wutai. . .NEVER. . .I'd die before I let it happen."

Yuffie gasped Nicoli's other hand came forward and something hot and burning began seeping into her side. She winced and looked down as Nicoli smiled faintly and pulled his fist away from her abdomen. Yuffie tremored as her already pain stricken muscles groaned in protest.. Her blood filled with fog and her body felt heavy as Nicoli forced her face upward.

"I'm afraid that isn't an option, dear Yuffie." he breathed softly. "You'll do as your father and I say, or I will  _force_  you to do as we say, do you understand?"

Yuffie's body was paralyzed as her lips moved wordlessly. Her breath was in short, poignant gasps as a strange pain shot through her chest and ached miserably. She looked at Nicoli with as much hatred as she could muster and spit on him.

Nicoli frowned for a moment as he wiped the obscene spitball from his face. As he flung the substance to the ground he simply grinned and leaned in toward Yuffie's face.

"Apparently you don't."

Yuffie's head jerked to the side as Nicoli's hand came firm across her face. She struggled against the hand holding onto her hair as Nicoli struck her again. Yuffie cried out vainly and instantly fell still as Nicoli grabbed her throat and forced her face upward.

"No worries, dear princess." he breathed as he grinned with a wild look in his eyes. "I will fix that. Soon, you'll be doing what I say before I even walk into the room."

Tears spilled from Yuffie's eyes Nicoli put his lips against hers and forced his kiss upon her. She vainly tried to get any part of her body to stop what was happening, but she sat there, stunned and unresponsive, as the vulgar man above her yanked on her hair and kissed her with his vile mouth.

A strangled noise came from Yuffie's throat as Nicoli slowly pulled away and sinisterly looked into Yuffie's eyes. He saw the deep pools of worry for the gunslinger before he had even asked her why she was complaining. He glared a little and turned his head to where his soldiers were fighting a losing battle against the agile, able bodied gunslinger. Nicoli watched for a moment before grinning faintly and looking down at Yuffie.

"You really do care for him, don't you?" he asked softly as he touched Yuffie's face.

Yuffie glared as her face started turning a faint shade of purple.

"Vince . . . nt is stronger. . .than you'll  _ever_  be." she gasped.

Nicoli smiled hatefully.

"Well, then, that is a good reason to get him out of the way as soon as possible. Isn't it, my dear? See, you can be clever if you put your mind to it."

Yuffie's eyes rose in horror as she saw the specialty dagger shuriken gleam in the moonlight from Nicoli's hand. It was a rare weapon and it proved to be deadly when it struck its target in the right place. Yuffie had never been a fan of the vulgar excuse for a shuriken and had not trained extensively with it, but she knew the consequences if hit unaware.

The ninja's eyes were frightened for all of about two seconds as she looked at Vincent fighting off the Wutai footmen. The violet ashes turned hateful as Nicoli yanked her forward with one hand and raised the shuriken in the other. As he made to release the giant, deadly star, Yuffie hissed with venom in her voice.

_Give me strength, Mother. I know you must love me. I know it. . .or else I wouldn't be here, fighting for the one I love. Help me now, and protect me still. . ._

"You will  _never_  hurt him! You will _never_ have my country!"

Nicoli roared as Yuffie sank her teeth into a spot on his leg. He let go of the ninja out of reflex and the young woman tried scrambling to her feet. She was unsuccessful and cried out as Nicoli kicked her. Yuffie whimpered but rebounded as quickly as she could as she grabbed her side and pulled herself to her feet.

"You stupid, little bitch." Nicoli hissed as he glared at her.

Yuffie smirked a little.

Her body was aching, her face was on fire, and she could swear a rib was creaking in her chest. She struggled to keep her stance as her dress and Vincent's cloak hung pathetically around her. The dragonflies moved quickly around her and she felt a renewed sense of energy as she shook her head.

" _You'll_  suffer, Nicoli." she whispered. "And I'll see to that."

"Yuffie!"

Nicoli glared as Vincent called out to the ninja as he finally plowed his way through the soldiers. A few thoughts passed through the young man's face before he calmed considerably and grinned.

"Ah, true love. Pity it has to be cut so short."

"NO!"

The gunslinger looked at the ninja's face as his hands instinctively reached for the young woman. Yuffie painfully arched back as her own arms came out in front of her. A deep, burning pain filled her side as a fierce iron smell filled her nostrils. She tremored violently and looked into Vincent's terrified eyes with a small, knowing smile. Her lids closed slightly as her body jerked a second time and Vincent moved forward to catch her.

From behind the ninja, Nicoli hissed hatefully and yanked the large dagger from Yuffie's lower back. He watched the ninja fall into the crimson warrior's waiting arms as he cleaned the blood from his weapon and glared.

"What a waste."

Vincent's stare turned deadly as he looked away from Yuffie and felt his anger reach a breaking point.

"A story I will have to tell back in Wutai, Yuffie. Tsk, tsk." Nicoli whispered as he sheathed the dagger and looked down at Yuffie's blood soaked back. "Running away from home to be with a gunman nearly three times your age. What _will_  your father say?"

"Tell him, then."

Nicoli frowned as Yuffie gasped softly and pushed herself up a little. He glared as Yuffie turned and looked at him hatefully.

"Go back to Wutai and tell my father. It's what you're good at."

Vincent's eyes were red and hateful.

If Nicoli was unnerved, he did not show it as he glared at the two figures on the ground and scoffed.

"Dead women tell no tales, Yuffie. And no one will believe a monster. . ."

Yuffie winced as she heard the soft, retreating footsteps into the trees. She closed her eyes as they rolled back and her consciousness started slipping from her. She fell forward into Vincent's chest as she gasped painfully.

"Vincent. . ."

Vincent painfully trembled as he held the ninja upright. He felt fear creeping into his blood for the first time in many years. He started shaking his head as Yuffie's body started to fall still.

"Yuffie? Yuffie, hang on. Don't give up on me."

Yuffie smiled a little as she looked up at Vincent from his lap.

"You sound scared, Vincent."

"I'm terrified."

"It's okay."

"Why did you do that? Yuffie, I. . .I would have been able to handle it. . ."

"I'm sorry, Vince. . .sudden decision. I didn't want him. . .to. . .to hurt you."

Vincent painfully winced and shook his head as he stroked Yuffie's face. His touch was featherlike as the young ninja sighed softly. The gunslinger trembled again and held Yuffie closer.

"Don't leave me, Yuffie."

"Vince. . .don't. . .don't let that bastard. . .have my kingdom. . ."

Vincent looked down into Yuffie's narrow eyes with horror as the young woman smiled faintly and blood continued to seep from the wound at her backside.

"Yuffie. . ."

". . .thanks. . .for coming to find me. . .Vincent." Yuffie breathed. "I'm glad. . .I'm glad I didn't go five years. . .hoping. . .to be let down. . .in the end. Thank you. . .for wanting me."

Vincent's eyes widened as Yuffie's eyes slid completely shut and the ninja's muscles began to relax in his embrace. He shook his head slowly as he felt a sharp, burning pain behind his irises. He trembled violently as he gently shook Yuffie.

"Yuffie! Yuffie, wake up. You are not allowed to die." the gunslinger commanded softly.

Yuffie's face tightened a little as she took a shallow breath.

"Please. . .Vincent. . .stop him."

As Yuffie slipped farther away from him, the gunslinger felt the anger rise from within him. He tried to fight off the Galian Beast's call, but soon found that the combination of Yuffie's blood and faint voice were too strong to overpower the demon that sought revenge.

As he made to go after Nicoli, Vincent Valentine lost all sense of reasoning.

The gunslinger slowly set Yuffie on the ground and stepped away from her with his head bent down. His whole body was trembling as he threw his arms out from his sides.

_Give rise, my friend. We have work to do._

Galian Beast was an extraordinary demon. His sheer, physical strength rivaled that of a small behemoth and his presence was enough to strike fear into most men. Because of this, Vincent seldom lost his temper because if he did, let's say, like at a time such as this, the first demon to rise would be Galian Beast. Anger fed the demon what he needed. Anger led to destruction, and from destruction reigned Chaos. But since Chaos had already taken his leave of the crimson gunslinger, Galian Beast was now his trump card.

Vincent's mind clouded in a sea of red as his body transformed and much of what kept him human was locked away inside the massive beast. His body drifted off into a protective cocoon of red haze and memories as Galian Beast went after the trail Nicoli and his men had left behind. Vincent had kept the beast at bay long enough and the scent was still fresh.

This was his time.

As Galian Beast roared and took off into the trees, Yuffie painfully opened her eyes and watched from the ground where she lie. Fireflies and dragonflies slowly descended and moved around her as she smiled and weakly grasped the folds of Vincent's blood soaked cloak in her fingers. She pulled the fabric around her body and relished in the smell of the man she would not forget even in death.

"Hmm. . .thank you. . .Vincent. . .for loving. . .me. . ."

Her voice was faint, and died altogether as she started to drift away in the soft sea of red. From farther into the forest, the large, angry beast that was hot on the trail of the scum that had started the brawl suddenly ground to a halt and shuddered.

_Yuffie._

**_Now isn't the time. If you don't stop that bastard everything will be worse off in the end, even if she lives._ **

_She isn't going to die._

**_You know better than that my friend._ **

As a bright flash of crimson returned Vincent Valentine to the form he called his own, the gunslinger's eyes took on a terrified start.

_She isn't going to die._

The thought repeated itself as he raced back through the trees. Nicoli didn't matter right now. The only thing that did was lying in a pool of her own blood.

She had to live.

She  _had_  to live.

"Yuffie!"

Yuffie's eyes were heavy as her body quickly became void of feeling. She vaguely realized that someone was calling out her name and lifting her upward as she forced her eyes open and looked up.

The blurry face of Vincent Valentine swam in the ninja's double vision as the gunslinger's long, black hair fell over his shoulder and down over his eyes. His eyes were narrowed in pain and his lips were moving, but Yuffie could no longer hear what he was saying. Yuffie's eyes began to close again as she felt soft, warm drops on her face. Her eyelids held steady for a moment and with her last seconds of consciousness, Yuffie Kisaragi could have sworn that Vincent Valentine was crying.


	2. Bridge

_"Sing a song, sing a pretty little song. Make the birds come and play make the cloudy days go away. Be my light and guard me through the night, I am your wandering maid._

_"I sing a song, a pretty song, that bids the butterflies to dance all day. Through the sun and the firelight, their pretty wings are in flight. I am happy, and your smile is my cure._

_"I am the little maiden. I see what cannot be seen, and I am sad for never a day. No tears do I cry or shed for you are here and my life is whole._

_"You and me and our little song for the bumblebees."_

The air was cool as a strange feeling washed over a nonexistent body. Cream colored sunlight drifted through the haze of a lover's memory as the quiet sounds of dawn filled the air. If there was a danger, the body in the haze could not feel it any longer. The limelight drowned the coming storm as the ninja uncurled herself and stretched her limbs out wide. Her eyes were clearer now and she could see the landscape for miles. A voice echoed across the distance as she sat up and looked around.

_"Where am I?"_

Yuffie's hand went to her throat as her lips moved but her voice did not follow until the mysterious echo brought her words back to her a few seconds later. Her voice sounded strange and hollow as she looked around for a sign of life. She trembled as she looked around.

_"Hello?"_

Again, her voice echoed back, but nothing answered.

Yuffie's eyes narrowed as she brought her knees up to her bare chest and hugged them tightly with her arms. She put her chin on the tops of her knees as she tried to remember what had happened. Everything was blurry and out of focus as she tried to think back. It felt like she was no longer a part of the world she was trying to remember. Something about her current location was starting to frighten her and the longer the silence lasted, the larger that feeling grew.

_"Am I alone here, too?"_

As Yuffie's voice echoed back to her, the ninja heard the faint whisper of a different voice. She gasped and lifted her head as the voice grew stronger and a song that she had not heard since she was a child drifted through the air. She searched for the source of the voice and scrambled to her feet as she saw the faint outline of a woman in the distance.

The song grew louder the closer Yuffie got to the woman. The sky was turning a violent shade of red, orange and yellow as the ninja stumbled a little and looked at the figure that was standing in a small, square garden next to a wisteria tree. Lilies were scattered at the figure's feet and lilacs were growing in a bush near the tree as the figure's lips curled upward and it turned to Yuffie.

Yuffie's eyes filled with tears as she trembled and brought her hands to her lips.

She laughed and shook her head.

_"Mama!"_

Her voice was not nearly as echoing as it had been before, and the woman in the garden square smiled and looked at Yuffie with pale, lavender eyes. Yuffie smiled as she heard the familiar voice of the person she had loved most in life. This was where she belonged. Her mother had been the only person who truly loved her. There had never been another that had shown her more love.

_"Mama. . .I want to be with you again. I want you to hold me and sing to me about the butterflies."_

The woman's smile never faltered as she looked down for a moment before looking onward past the garden. Unknown and strange light was filtering through the opening as the woman smiled fondly and shook her head as she looked at Yuffie.

_What a beautiful woman you have become, Yuffie. So strong and graceful. I don't think I could be more proud of you than I am now._

Yuffie smiled as she heard the sweet, melodic voice of the woman she had missed for so many years.

_"Thank you, Mama."_

The woman smiled as she shook her head. She was silent for a moment as she turned and looked at the green light swirling just beyond her garden. Finally, she turned and looked at Yuffie.

_Try not to be too hard on your father. I know he says silly, hurtful things, but he is just a broken man without me to guide him. You were never an abomination, and when you were born, he was the happiest man on the face of the Planet. He loved you more than anyone. He would hardly relinquish you, even to me!_

The woman laughed a little and smiled.

_He's a good man, Yuffie, he's just forgotten._

Yuffie felt something stir behind her and she turned out of curious habit as the scene behind her started to contort and transform. The ninja's face scrunched up into a weird countenance as another figure started to form from the swirling red and black masses that had begun to mingle with the cream colored dawn. There was a nagging memory in Yuffie's mind as the ninja watched a long, lean face and black hair come out of the darkness. Crimson eyes stared at her with so much sadness, she gasped and tried to remember who the figure was.

The woman in the garden smiled again.

_Hmm. Another good man that has forgotten his goodness. You bring out the best in him, Yuffie. Perhaps your presence is better deserved elsewhere. He needs you, Yuffie. Don't you remember him?_

"Yuffie, Yuffie, please don't give up. Please."

Yuffie gasped as the figure in front of her spoke, but his lips were disjointed and misleading. His words were full of sorrow and each syllable made the ninja fearful.

This man. . .who was he?

_Such a sad face. I wonder what made such a hard man cry._

Yuffie's eyes suddenly filled with fresh tears as she watched the tall, crimson cloaked figure crumble to his knees and start sobbing. The ninja shook her head violently as she reached her hands out.

_"You! You're Vincent! I. . .I remember! I was hurt, and you tried to save me! You came after me! You. . .you're crying! Why are you crying? Why are you crying! Stop it! STOP CRYING!"_

"Vincent, come on. Come on, let them work."

"No! Leave me alone!"

_I will always be here, waiting, Yuffie._

Yuffie turned with a start as the woman in the garden smiled and looked at the young ninja. The woman gently plucked a lilac bloom from the bush and handed it over the square's edge to the ninja. Yuffie slowly reached out and gasped as her fingers slid over the fragrant flower. Memories of the last battle filled her mind and the memories of what she had left behind suddenly flooded her conscious. Her fingers trembled as the woman looked at her with a small nod.

_I love you my little butterfly. We are always together because our love keeps us whole. You have made me so proud. I know you have everything you need. Now, more than ever._

Yuffie shook her head and held out her hand as the woman let go of the flower and started walking toward the green light beyond her garden.

_"Mama!"_

The woman turned with a small smile.

Yuffie bit her lip and was unsure of her next move until she heard a strange noise behind her. She quickly turned her head and looked at the fallen figure she recognized as Vincent Valentine. Her eyes softened and filled with tears as she heard him quietly sob into his hands. She watched the tears slide down his face as his voice echoed closer than ever.

"Don't leave me here, Yuffie. Please, Yuffie, don't give up. . .

_" **I love you** "_

Yuffie shook her head and ran toward Vincent, her heart unable to take anymore. As she fell to her knees and held the fallen gunslinger in her arms, the wind picked up around her and began to swirl the crimson clouds. Yuffie quickly turned her head as she felt a presence pull away from her.

_I knew you'd make the right choice, Yuffie. Be happy, with the one who loves you most._

Yuffie smiled a little as she turned her head away and put her cheek on the gunslinger's bowed head. She held Vincent closer as the world around her faded.

"I will, Mama. . .for you. . .I will."

With a dramatic thud and unimaginable pain, Yuffie Kisaragi's heart started beating and her chest rose with breath.


	3. Chorus

There were soft beeps and murmurs surrounding her as she slept in a fitful dream of now and then. She could feel the tug of her mother's fingers and the pull of Vincent's tears as the ninja softly moaned and turned her head. Her short, ebony hair fell into her closed eyes as the murmurs stopped and her head slipped on a soft pillow that was propping her up. Her body ached as she heard a door close.

Why was she in so much pain?

Yuffie painfully winced and opened her eyes a little as warm, fading rays of sunlight filtered through dark curtains over a window. The ninja breathed slowly and let her eyes wander around the strange room as she tried to remember where she was.

The room was quiet and had dark, bare walls that echoed the same, charcoal grey color of steel. Though bare, they still provided a sense of warmth and closure. There was a dresser in the corner of the room and a small, round table in the middle. The large, twin bed where Yuffie was resting was soft and covered with worn, red blankets that looked like they had been recently washed. She winced again and looked down at her right arm as a burning feeling filled her elbow. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up and saw several IV bags draining into her arm. As she watched, she noted the half empty bag of blood with the "A" sticker on it after her last name.

Yuffie looked at the letter with surprise.

Who had the same blood type as her?

"You know, you often called me a vampire when we first knew one another." a voice said from across the room. "I would just like to mention, now that you are awake, that your accusations were incredibly false and I demand reparations."

Yuffie's eyes moved with a start as she heard the soft, dark voice she had grown so accustomed to hearing. Despite the dull pains in her body, and despite the fact that she had no idea where she was and what would happen to her now that she was still alive, Yuffie Kisaragi smiled as Vincent Valentine came from the other room and slowly walked through the doorway.

The soft, black shirt he had on was loose around his body as his black pants moved silently against his legs. He walked across the room and sat down in a chair that was right beside Yuffie as he smiled faintly and looked at the ninja. Yuffie noted two, pale white hands instead of just one and raised her eyebrows slightly. She looked at Vincent with hazy, lavender ash eyes as the gunslinger looked back at her.

They were silent for a few moments while the final rays of sun cascaded over Yuffie's pale face. Words could not begin to describe how Vincent felt to see Yuffie smile and breathe again. He had never been more terrified in his life. Watching Yuffie slip away from him like she had nearly a week ago was too much. He'd found the tears he thought he'd forgotten how to cry when she'd stopped breathing. He had found the ability to sob when her life had almost been taken completely. He had found the power to fall to his knees in gratitude when the Lifestream had given her back.

Yuffie smiled with narrowed eyes.

"Reparations, Vince?" she asked softly. "I am afraid I have nothing more to give you than me, myself, and I."

Vincent smiled a little.

"The payment is fair." he responded softly.

Yuffie smiled again.

"But. . .is this really  _your_  blood?"

Vincent nodded.

"It is. It was fortunate that Reeve had the capabilities to take it. You'd be surprised how hard it is to draw blood from this body." the gunslinger said softly as he tried to keep his bitterness from showing.

Yuffie shook her head slowly. Her body still felt oddly detached, but she figured it was because of the  _other_  IV bag hanging beside the one administering Vincent's blood into her arm.

She smiled.

"Reeve helped us?"

Vincent nodded again.

"I used Galian Beast to get us out of the forest faster. I came back to the only place I call home and sought Reeve out because I knew he would have the facilities I needed to save your life."

There was another silence as Vincent looked down at the floor. His ebony bangs fell across his face as he relished Yuffie's presence beside him.  The thought of another woman dying for him was unbearable and the gunslinger was not sure what would have happened if Yuffie had died because he had not been quick enough to save her.

"Vincent?"

"Hmm?"

"Where are we?"

Vincent slowly looked up at the ninja and watched as her eyes traveled around the room. He was silent for a moment before looking down at the floor.

"This is my apartment. We're in Kalm."

Yuffie was surprised.

"You actually live in Kalm?" she asked with a start. "Wow. I didn't think you lived  _any_ where."

Vincent smiled a little and made a small noise in his throat as he shook his head.

Yuffie thought she had hurt the gunslinger's feelings and slowly lifted her right hand toward him.

"Hey, I mean. . .I didn't mean that as an insult, Vince! I just. . .I didn't know you'd found someplace to  _call_  home, you know! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

Yuffie was startled as Vincent leaned forward and gently grasped her hand in his. Her eyes slowly narrowed as the gunslinger bowed his head and held her fingers tighter in his.

"Vincent. . ."

"I'm sorry, Yuffie." Vincent breathed as his crimson eyes painfully searched the floor. "I'm so sorry, Yuffie."

Yuffie shook her head a little and was getting ready to lift her other hand when she felt something soft and light in the palm of her left hand. She slowly lifted said hand and smiled warmly as the lilac flower rested gently against her fingers. She brought the flowers to her lips and kissed the petals before setting the flower down and putting her left hand against Vincent's face.

The gunslinger obliged the ninja by lifting his head and looking at her as Yuffie smiled warmly and shook her head.

"You saved me, Vincent." she whispered softly. "I should be the one bowing my head."

Yuffie closed her eyes and sighed softly as Vincent leaned forward and gently put his lips against hers. All of the pain and the memories of before washed away as the ninja enjoyed the taste of him mixed with her. She put her hand against the gunslinger's cheek as he slowly pulled away from her and looked down at her with calm, narrowed eyes. Yuffie smiled a little and threaded her fingers through his.

"And all this time I thought you didn't like me, Vincent Valentine." she said with a playful pout.

Vincent smiled.

"I've always liked you, Yuffie." he said softly. "You out of them all."

Yuffie laughed a little and winced as her side ached and a dull pain shot up into her chest.

"Ow, dammit." she whined as Vincent pulled back and gently reached out his other hand as the ninja pulled down the covers on top of her.

The gunslinger was silent for a few minutes as Yuffie lifted the black, long sleeved shirt he had dressed her in and looked at the mess of bandages wrapped securely around her middle. He watched the ninja's face as the young woman's eyes widened with wonder and her fingers gently caressed the spot where her betrothed had impaled her.

"Huh! Well,  _that_  scar won't look attractive in a midriff tank, now will it? Goddamn bastard. Now I have to change my wardrobe again!"

Vincent jerked his head a little as Yuffie's calm demeanor over the wound startled him.

Yuffie shook her head and pulled the shirt down over her stomach again as she turned to look at Vincent. Her eyebrows knotted with worry as she noted the somewhat awkward expression on the gunslinger's face.

"Eh, Vince, you okay?"

The ninja's eyes widened as Vincent started to laugh. Her jaw dropped as she watched the gunslinger double over himself with a deep, rich laughter. She was still stunned as Vincent's laughter started to subside and he slowly looked up at the ninja with watery eyes.

"I'm sorry, Yuf," the gunslinger wheezed, "it was just too funny."

Yuffie's shock melted into a grin as she winked.

"That's me, a one stop joke shop."

She smiled warmly as Vincent caressed her face and looked at her with his crimson eyes.

God, she loved those eyes.

"Yuffie, can you ever forgive me?"

"Well, Vince," Yuffie said feigning seriousness, "in order to forgive you, you would have had to done something to me. . .and, if I vaguely remember correctly,  _you_  didn't try to kabob me with a dagger so I don't know why you are apologizing."

Vincent looked at the young ninja with a small shake of his head as his eyes wandered to the IV bag hanging above her. The blood was nearly gone and Yuffie's color had improved immensely. It had taken a lot of time to collect enough blood to save her life. Nearly half the blood that now flowed through Yuffie Kisaragi had once flowed through  _him_  and it had not been easy to procure.

Another gift from a deranged psychopath.

"Vincent, I know you think this is your fault, but I should be the one apologizing."

Vincent lowered his eyes and looked at Yuffie as the ninja frowned a little and looked down at her hands. He shook his head as Yuffie sighed.

"I was the one that put  _you_  in danger." the ninja continued softly. "I mean, if it wasn't for me, my mother wouldn't be dead and my father wouldn't be a total chocobo butt. Hmm. I guess I should have known better. Nicoli was always a bastard in school, why would he have changed as he got older. If I ever get hold of him, though, I'll beat the living shit out of him, I'll guarantee that."

"Yuffie," Vincent said as he looked at the floor and held the ninja's hand tighter, "I came after you of my own, free will. I knew the risks, and your life and its importance to me outweighed them. What I do now is of my own volition. I am choosing to defend you. I am choosing to stay beside you, Yuffie. I'm here because I want to be. Do you understand?"

Yuffie looked at Vincent with a start before her eyes narrowed warmly and filled with tears.

"You mean. . .you don't think I am a pain in the ass?"

Vincent looked up at Yuffie with a hopeless smile and shook his head.

"No. You are not a pain in the ass. . . not mine, anyhow."

Yuffie smiled and trembled as she desperately wished to jump up and stranglehold the gunslinger with a hug.

"Hey, Vince?"

"Hmm?"

"I would hug you, but I can't seem to lift myself up at the moment. . .what, with the big gaping  _hole_  in my abdomen." Yuffie said with a grin. "You think you could help a ninja out and give me a lift?"

Vincent nodded slightly and gently sat down on the bed next to the ninja. He eased his long, pale arms underneath her upper body and carefully eased her upright while Yuffie used her left arm to brace herself. The ninja winced as the pain in her side throbbed and the IVs in her arm stung a little bit. Vincent looked at her with concern, but it quickly melted as he watched the ninja smile happily and rest her head on his shoulder. He held her close as pale darkness covered his room.

"Thank you, Vincent."

"You're welcome, Yuffie."

They were silent for a few minutes as the sounds of Kalm's nightlife began echoing from outside the narrowly opened window. Yuffie listened to Vincent's heartbeat and stared vacantly at the floor as she felt his fingers rubbing her lower back in a soothing gesture for her pain. She liked the feeling of his skin against hers. She couldn't explain why, she just did. She smiled a little as she thought about how they were closer than some people could only dream of being. Vincent Valentine had offered up a part of what made him just to save her life. What constituted his body, now constituted hers, and somehow, that made her feel even more a part of the gunslinger's world.

Not to mention, she didn't get into these oversized pajamas on her own.

However, it wouldn't be long before someone figured out she was still alive. Yuffie frowned a little and tried not to get scared as Nicoli's terrifying face filled her memories. She painfully shut her eyes and shuddered as she willed the images away and tried to think of something else.

Vincent was beside her. She'd be okay. . .she'd. . .wouldn't she?

"Yuffie, he won't hurt you again. He's only alive now because I was more worried about saving you than killing him."

Yuffie looked up at Vincent as his voice vibrated in her ear. She looked at the calm features of the gunslinger's face as his crimson eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened slightly. She listened to his breathing for a moment before letting her eyes narrow.

"Vincent. . ."

Vincent looked down at the ninja with a small frown.

He had been careless these last few battles. His worry had come before his battle sense and because of that, Yuffie had been hurt or nearly killed. Though he longed to tell Yuffie everything he had spoken while she fought for her life, he felt that his ability to reason and keep her safe would be jeopardized if he did. It wasn't because he was cruel or heartless. It was the exact opposite, actually. He cared so much that he would rather have the ability to protect the one he loved rather than let his emotions take over and have nothing but fear, anger, and hatred left over when she was hurt.

It made little sense, he knew, but the gunslinger had never known true love. This feeling that had burst from his chest just a few years ago was something he had never truly known. Lucrecia had been a lover, but not  _true_  love. She had allowed her  _husband_  to shoot him and subject his dying body to horrific experiments. Then, to make matters worse, she had tried injecting him with a demon that doomed him to a life of hell and servitude.

That was not love.

Love was not one sided.

"Don't worry, Yuffie." he said softly as he smiled a little. "You'll be safe here. The WRO is keeping tabs on things in Wutai and so far, no one knows anything. You and I, both, should be fine in Kalm until you are well enough to start moving around on your own."

Yuffie looked at Vincent for a moment before shaking her head.

"Here?" she asked innocently.

Vincent smiled at the ninja's nativity.

Sometimes he forgot that despite her age, the ninja was still a child in many respects.

He nodded as he brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Yes, here." he responded. "This is my home now. Hard to believe, but there is a place where I keep myself."

Yuffie laughed a little as Vincent's fingertips tickled a sensitive spot under her jaw as they roamed down the side of her face.

She shook her head.

"Aren't I intruding, Vincent?" she asked softly. "I mean, first you find me in the forest, then you save my life, and now you are letting me stay in your apartment?"

"Do you not want to?" Vincent asked looking down at the ninja with a curious smile.

"No, no! I mean. . .it's not  _that_!" stammered Yuffie as she blushed.

She sighed out of embarrassment and shook her head.

"You've done so much for me and I am having a hard time figuring out  _why_ , Vincent. I mean, you have never been so vocal about me. . .well. . .ever. I guess what I am trying to say is that I really, really,  _really_  like all of this, and I am just confused as to why it's all happening."

Vincent was silent for a few moments as the ninja's words trailed off and she looked down at the IVs in her arm. He sighed a little and searched the floor of his bedroom for a moment longer before shaking his head and holding Yuffie closer to his side.

"Yuffie, remember when I told you a few days ago that I have always listened to you?"

" _Kuso na!_ " exclaimed Yuffie with a start.

She looked up at Vincent.

"How long have I been out of it?"

Vincent couldn't help but smile as he looked down at the ninja.

"Almost seven days.." he said softly. "Nicoli had missed major organs and arteries by mere millimeters. But you had lost so much blood by the time I had gotten you to WRO Headquarters. . .hmm. . .let's just say you were extremely lucky and worn out."

Yuffie could hear the restraint and fear in Vincent's voice and she looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"Vince?"

Yuffie gasped as Vincent lowered his face closer to hers and put his hand against her cheek. Her eyes quivered as she watched the pain travel through Vincent's eyes.

"Vincent. . ."

"Yuffie, there was a time, when we were fighting monsters on the outskirts of Corel, and you were frightened. Do you remember?" Vincent asked trying to keep the pain out of his voice.

The ninja's eyes moved away from his for a brief moment before they came back to his and she nodded a little.

"Y. . .Yes. That was the time. . .the time we got separated from the others and we fell into that mine shaft. . .you. . .you got hurt."

"Yes, and do you remember how frightened you were?" Vincent whispered painfully. "Do you remember what you did?"

Yuffie vainly tried to go back through the memories until the darkness of the shaft crept back into her mind and she could see the small torch lit over the body of her injured companion. She shrank against Vincent as she nodded.

"Yes."

"Tell me." Vincent pleaded softly. "Tell me what you did."

"Vincent, you're starting to scare me."

"Yuffie, please. . .tell me."

Yuffie winced a little as she looked up at the gunslinger.

"I sang to you. I. . .I went further into the mine and found good water that had been left by the miners not too long ago. . .and I made a torch so we could see. I knew you were in pain, and I didn't have a Cure materia because I had given it to Cloud the day before. I felt so bad. . .so I did for you what my mother used to do for me. You. . .you didn't even protest. . .I sang to you and ran my fingers through your hair for almost three hours. You fell asleep after that. . ."

Tears slid down Yuffie's face as she heard Vincent's breath quicken in his chest and saw pain float through his eyes.

She trembled against him.

". . .I was so scared you were going to die. . .that I begged you not to give up. . ."

"What else?" Vincent breathed as he closed his eyes. "Tell me what else. . ."

Yuffie leaned in closer to the gunslinger as she felt his body tremor. She finally realized what the gunslinger was trying to say.

"I begged you to stay beside me because. . .because I said I loved you. . .I needed you to hang on!"

Vincent let out a soft sigh of relief as he closed his eyes and held Yuffie closer. The ninja wrapped her left arm around his middle as she huddled closer to him. He put his lips against her forehead as he relished the cool skin against his.

"I'm always listening, Yuffie." he breathed. "I'm always here for you."

He winced and held Yuffie tighter as her quiet sobs muffled themselves into the soft fabric of his shirt. His entire body trembled for a moment as the sheer magnitude of his words settled upon him. This was the choice he had made. There was no point fighting it now. As long as Yuffie was safe and happy, Vincent Valentine could be happy. He could let the ninja be and pretend like his feelings did not exist. No one had ever told them they loved him until Yuffie Kisaragi. He had never heard the words like she had spoken them. She was so full of passion and pain, that it had captivated him, even in slumber. He could feel her desperation.

He could feel her honesty.

But, now, Yuffie Kisaragi was no longer happy or safe. She had come very close to death, and he had been near enough to stop it. If he did not commit to his feelings now, he may not be close enough to her later to continue keeping her safe.

He did this because  _he_  was honest about his feelings for  _her_.

"You were never a burden on me, Yuffie. Never." the gunslinger whispered gently. "You aren't a burden now. I want to protect you, Yuffie. I want you to stay with me."

Vincent was startled as Yuffie slowly pulled away and looked up at him with a feeble smile. Her eyes were a dazzling shade of lavender he had never noticed before as the ninja nodded.

"I want to stay with you, too, Vince."

She closed her eyes and buried her face into the crook of Vincent's neck as the gunslinger pressed her into his chest. She smiled against the fabric of Vincent's shirt as she heard his breath in his chest. His heart was beating faster and the ninja knew that Vincent didn't have words to describe his emotions. She knew, now, that he could not say what he wanted to her because his emotions were too strong. He had many demons that required much of his energy to keep at bay. If Vincent were to get too emotional about one thing or another, one of those demons had the opportunity to overthrow his vessel.

Yuffie knew the dangers of loving Vincent Valentine, but she didn't care.

She wouldn't love anyone else, and these were the arms that had never betrayed her. Silent though he was, it was Vincent's subtlety that had always let her know that he cared about what happened to her. She was grateful for everything the gunslinger had done for her until now.

Her presence was now a danger for him as well.

They were dangers to one another. . .and together, they were the enemy.

"I'm tired, Vincent."

Vincent slowly relinquished his hold on the ninja and held her face in his hands as Yuffie's head bobbed and her eyes narrowed.

"I am surprised you've been able to move this much on your own. You are a strong woman, Yuffie."

Yuffie's eyes were narrow slits as Vincent eased himself away from her and settled her back against her pillows. As he stood over her and gently brought the covers up over her middle, Yuffie reached out and touched his arm.

"Vincent. . .please don't leave."

Vincent smiled a little.

"I haven't, Yuf. Ever since I brought you to Kalm, I haven't left your side for more than five minutes."

Yuffie was startled and looked at the chair beside her again.

Vincent nodded.

"I've sat there, day and night, watching over you. I won't leave you, I promise."

Yuffie winced with pain as her body ached and her mind filled with the horrible images of what could happen.

"It hurts, Vince. . ."

Vincent looked at the ninja helplessly as he checked the IV with the pain medication in it. He frowned as he noticed it was getting lower. He looked down at Yuffie with pain as tears started sliding down the ninja's face.

"Yuffie. . ."

Yuffie closed her eyes and cried as Vincent slowly clamped the IV lines to Yuffie's arm and gently lifted the bandage hiding the needles so he could remove them. The ninja softly protested as Vincent pulled the intrusions from her arm and secured the bandage over the puncture wounds. He secured the dirty needles to the IV stand and moved it out of the way as he sat down beside Yuffie.

Vincent gently slid one of his arms under Yuffie and eased her onto her good side as he laid down beside her. His hair fanned out over the pillows as the gunslinger adjusted the woman against his body and softly kissed her forehead. He slowly began trailing his fingers through Yuffie's ebony hair as the ninja's tears started to subside.

"It will be all right, Yuffie." Vincent said softly as he looked up at the ceiling. "We have each other. . .and that is all the other needs. . ."

"I love you, Vincent. . .I know. . .you. . .do. . ."

Vincent leaned his head against the ninja's as she rested against him and drifted off to sleep. He winced slightly before continuing with his previous task and slowly succumbing to sleep as well.


	4. Refrain

Several weeks went by uninhibited. The sun rose and the sun set, and every day Yuffie got stronger. Through the aid of Reeve Tuesti and some well trained doctors, Yuffie had overcome the hard part of the recovery process. She still could not move very well, and she was not allowed to leave Vincent's apartment. Through well planned visits, Reeve always managed to get Yuffie whatever she needed and told her about news coming out of Wutai.

Godo was in a frenzy over Yuffie's disappearance. It was rumored that Nicoli Patrice had gone to the emperor and told him that Vincent had been the one that had 'kidnapped' the princess and was holding her hostage somewhere, but no one knew for sure. Talk like that made Yuffie very nervous because she feared Vincent would get hurt because of her. The gunslinger took the accusations in stride. He said he had expected Nicoli to say as much, and when Yuffie had questioned him on his certainty, Vincent had told her he had taken precautions against such a claim.

In the time she usually spent alone at Vincent's, Yuffie Kisaragi pondered the gunslinger's words. She supposed Vincent's confidence came from the constant presence of his good friend, Reeve. Though the man himself wasn't a brave soul, Reeve Tuesti always found  _some_  way to help the friends he cared about. Yuffie knew for a fact that Reeve cared the most about Vincent Valentine. She didn't really know  _why_ , but that wasn't important.

When it came down to brass tacks, all that mattered was that the gunslinger had friends in low places. . .and in high ones, too.

And it was a good thing.

The night air was still and the fading summer heat was quickly turning into fall's cooling slumber as Yuffie patiently busied herself in Vincent's kitchen. She had never been much of a cook, but with all of the spare time she was accumulating away from society and being a ninja, Yuffie had found that she missed cooking meals and cleaning things. She had missed what made her a 'girly' girl.

The ninja hummed softly to herself as she slowly chopped onions on the counter and checked the soup in the metal pot on the stove. She shuffled slowly and winced as she lifted her left arm to grab something from a shelf above her. Even though the stab wound was healing nicely, it still hurt.

"Stupid bastard." Yuffie hissed as she slowly added a bit of sugar and some flour to the mixture in the soup pot.

She worriedly looked up at the clock in the living room as it beeped the hour.

"Eight?" she whispered softly.

She bit her lip.

"Vincent. . .are you okay?"

On cue, the door in the next room slowly creaked open and the ninja froze until she heard the familiar click of Vincent's boots on the wooden floor. She sighed with relief and hurried to the doorway. She smiled a little and watched as the gunslinger removed his boots and unbuckled the familiar, red mantle from around his shoulders.

"Hello, Vince. . .long day?"

Vincent looked up with a start and smiled as Yuffie leaned her head against the doorway and smiled sweetly at him. He had forgotten what it was like to come home and be greeted by someone. He couldn't describe how good it made him feel to see Yuffie every night and wake up with her every morning. Her presence fueled his desire to keep her safe, and to keep the one's prowling for her at bay.

"Yes. Reeve had me investigate some trouble at Costa del Sol."

Yuffie was startled.

"Eh? Why would there be any trouble there?"

"Hmm. Seems like not everyone is happy about the WROs involvement with Neo Shinra. Reeve wanted me to settle some quarrels there." Vincent replied as he hung his mantle in the foyer and shook his head. "That is why I am so late, Yuf. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't worry." Yuffie said softly as she looked down. "But, somehow, I knew you'd be okay."

Vincent smiled and walked over to her. He gently caressed her cheek before kissing her forehead and holding her close.

Yuffie smiled back and wrapped her arms around him as she pressed her face into the gunslinger's chest. She didn't need anything else but this.

"Hey, I made dinner for us tonight!" the ninja said excitedly as she pulled away from Vincent.

Vincent shook his head.

"I could have done it, Yuffie."

"Yeah, I know, but this was a soup I loved as a kid, and it is perfect on cool nights like this. I promise it's eatible." Yuffie said as she went back into the kitchen.

Vincent smiled helplessly and followed the ninja as Yuffie stirred the contents of the metal pot with a wooden spoon. He smelled the faint hint of sugar in the air as the aroma filled the small room. He shook his head as Yuffie started humming again and checked something in the oven.

"It smells wonderful, Yuffie. . .what is it called?"

Yuffie beamed as she shut the oven door and turned around. The large, black t-shirt she was wearing billowed a little as the ninja faced Vincent.

"I think my godmother called it Sweet Caroline. You make a basic miso, then you add onions, a bit of flour to thicken it, and then you add just a hint of sugar. You boil that with some sea salt, tofu, and some veggies and you gotta great soup for any occasion! Then, if you  _really_  want to have the real deal, you make sweet bread braids from scratch, then you dip the sweet bread in the soup! It sounds gross when I talk about it, but trust me, once you've had it, you'll want it all the time."

Vincent smiled and shook his head.

"You went through all of that trouble?"

Yuffie laughed.

"You've got me cooped up in the apartment, Vince! I was running out of things to do to keep me busy. Not only is this wound preventing me from doing much 'ninja'-ing, but because my father is in a humongous uproar, I can't even go outside. I had to find  _some_ thing to do to entertain myself."

Vincent frowned a little as he looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry, Yuffie." he said softly. "I. . .I just don't want you to be hurt again before you've even recovered. I want to know you're safe when I have to leave."

Yuffie turned with a start.

"Vincent, I didn't mean for it to sound hateful! Was I hateful?"

"No." Vincent said with a sigh. "You just sounded sad. . .like you were a prisoner here."

Vincent was silent and begrudgingly looked up at Yuffie as the ninja stopped what she was doing and went over to him.

"Vincent, I do not feel like a prisoner here." Yuffie said firmly as she put her hand on Vincent's arm. "If anything, I have more freedom in this tiny apartment than I ever had outside of it. Not only that, but I miss doing some of these things. Like. . .like when you showed me how to dance for Tifa's wedding. I felt like my true self then, Vince. You brought out the best of the 'girl' in me. I'm never sad here! Maybe a little grumpy sometimes, and maybe even a bit growly when my injuries act up, but I am never sad. I get to be with  _you_ , Vincent. I get to do  _other_  things I forgot how to do! Like making Sweet Caroline again. It's always better to share it with someone you love."

Yuffie put her arms around the gunslinger as he slowly put his lips against hers and held her tightly. She knew that Vincent was just as worried as she was. If push came to shove, Yuffie knew that she could not fight an honest battle. Even if she had to, the wound she had sustained could break open again and she would probably bleed to death.

The cards were against her in the event she was found, and that is why Vincent never left her alone.

Someone was always nearby.

Vincent slowly pulled away from Yuffie as his crimson eyes searched hers before the gunslinger smiled and shook his head.

"Just making sure." he said softly.

It killed him having to be away from Yuffie and not knowing if she would be protected. Though he trusted Reeve and knew that Reeve would do anything and everything Vincent wished, the gunslinger knew that sneaky bastards would be sneaky bastards, and that the best wasn't always good enough.

Vincent had to act as if everything were normal.

He was employed by Reeve Tuesti to settle skirmishes within the WRO and Neo Shinra Headquarters as well as being the up and coming firearms trainer for the new Turk squad already being formed. Vincent had to go about his routine or else it  _did_  make him a suspect in Yuffie's disappearance. However, as long as he remembered the plan, nothing would happen.

As long as he remembered. . .

Yuffie smiled brightly.

"You have perfect timing, actually." she said as she pulled away. "I just finished with the soup. It's just boiling right now. What's better is that the bread is done, too!"

Vincent slowly eased himself into a wooden chair at the small dining table as Yuffie hummed a tune and pulled a tray of small, twisted bread loaves out of the oven. He smiled a little and let his troubled thoughts vanish from his mind as the oven door shut and Yuffie set the tray on top of the stove near the pot of soup.

The ninja took off the oven mitts she was wearing and lifted the lid on the pot. She smiled as the sweet aroma of the contents inside wafted up to her nose.

She turned to Vincent with a firm nod.

"Sweet Caroline."

"Do you want help?" Vincent asked as he started to stand up.

Yuffie shook her head with a small smile as she opened another cabinet and reached for a couple of plates and bowls.

"I can get it." she said softly. "Sit down and relax. You're here, and I'm still here, so it's okay, all right?"

Vincent sat back down and remained silent as Yuffie filled two bowls with soup and then put the loaves of bread on a plate, cursing in Wutainese as the hot food burned her fingers. Vincent laughed a little and shook his head as Yuffie turned indignantly with a small smirk. She walked forward with the plate and set it in the middle of the table.

"As you probably noticed, it is hot." the ninja said with a nod.

She looked down at the small braids of cinnamon and sugar coated bread with a smile before turning away and going for the bowls still resting on the counter top near the stove. She slowly grasped a bowl in each hand and went back to the table. She set a bowl down in front of Vincent and then set a bowl in front of herself as she went back to the stove and turned a burner on beneath a silver tea kettle.

Vincent looked at the slightly opaque mixture of vegetables and tofu as a sweet smell rose with the steam coming from the bowl. To be honest, it didn't look any different from any other soup he'd ever had, but the gunslinger had a feeling that the aroma and taste is what made this soup so special. He looked at Yuffie as the ninja set a spoon beside his bowl and then sat down in a chair across from him. She winced a little and gingerly touched her side before smiling and looking at Vincent.

"Hungry?"

Vincent smiled back and nodded.

"Good. Here, start by doing this." Yuffie said as she reached over her bowl and took one of the six, mini braids off of the plate in the center of the table.

Vincent watched as the ninja tore the braid in half and then dipped one of the halves in the soup bowl. He smiled again as Yuffie took a bite and grinned.

"Not too bad if I don't say so myself." Yuffie said aloud as she finished swallowing the bread. The sweet and sour taste was refreshing as she watched Vincent reach for a bread braid.

She waited patiently as the gunslinger followed her previous actions. She smiled as Vincent's eyebrows rose in surprise and he looked at the ninja.

"This is good, Yuf."

"Of course it is. . .I made it." Yuffie said with a laugh as she dipped her bread into her soup again.

Vincent smiled as he took another bite. He would have never guessed that something that looked so plain could taste so sweet. Then again, that was the kind of thinking he had used when he had first gotten to know the ninja now sitting in front of him and living in his apartment.

Looks were  _definitely_  deceiving.

"So, Yuffie, do you know why they call this soup Sweet Caroline?" Vincent asked softly as Yuffie reached for another piece of bread. "It seems like an odd name for a soup."

Yuffie tore her bread in half and stopped suddenly as she listened to Vincent's question.

"Huh! You know, Vince, no one's ever asked me that before." she said as she sat back in her chair.

The ninja thought for a minute before leaning forward again and shaking her head.

"It's been so long since my godmother told me about the story behind Sweet Caroline, but, if I remember correctly, Sweet Caroline was a popular folk song. I can't really remember much more than that, but it was a love song, and it was meant to be a tribute to a woman named Caroline, I guess. Why my godmother had a soup called Sweet Caroline is beyond me, but she always told me it was a dish to be shared between those that loved each other very much. It was made with love, shared with love, and devoured with love. My godmother was kinda nuts."

Vincent smiled and watched Yuffie as the ninja finished off her second braid of bread and picked up her spoon.

Sometimes, the gunslinger supposed, irony worked in one's favor.

Yuffie looked up as the tea kettle started whistling from the stove.

" _Kuso_." the ninja hissed as she sighed and stood up.

"I'll get it. You sit."

Yuffie was startled as Vincent stood up without further argument and walked toward the stove. She looked at the gunslinger's backside as Vincent turned the flame off and moved the kettle to a cool burner.

"Okay." she whispered as she sat down again.

She continued to watch Vincent as he moved to another cabinet and pulled two cups from a high shelf.

Vincent took better care of her than anyone else alive. The ninja knew that he cared about her very much, and that in doing so, he put everything he had on a very thin line. This made Yuffie's heart ache, and when he wasn't looking, she cried about it. She didn't want to think of Vincent being hurt or tortured because he had helped her, and if Nicoli or her father got hold of him. . .that is exactly what would happen.

"Yuffie, are you all right?"

Yuffie shook her head with a start and looked up at Vincent as the gunslinger looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled.

"Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You had that spaced out look in your eyes." Vincent said softly as he slowly turned around and gingerly picked up the two tea cups now filled with steaming liquid. "The one you get when you are thinking, bored, or sad." he added as he set Yuffie's cup in front of her and returned to his chair on the other side of the table.

Yuffie shook her head.

"It's all right, Vince." she said softly. "I guess I do have a lot on my mind. You and Reeve are going through so much trouble, and I kinda feel helpless. . .that's all. I can't stop thinking about it."

"Hmm." Vincent said as he looked down at the table.

Yuffie felt an uneasiness float through the kitchen and she shivered subconsciously.

"I've said it before, Yuf; you are not a burden on me." Vincent said softly. "I don't know what else to do to make you see that."

"I'm sorry, Vince. I didn't want to upset you with it." Yuffie said with a weak smile. "Please, don't worry about it, okay?"

"I  _do_  worry about it." Vincent said looking up at Yuffie with a slight wince. "I worry about  _you_  all the time."

Yuffie was startled.

"You do?" she whispered.

Vincent nodded.

"Why?"

The gunslinger slowly rose from his chair and went to the ninja's side as the young woman started crying. Yuffie realized tears were sliding down her face and she gasped as she brought her hands to her cheeks.

_Why am I crying?_

Vincent knelt down in front of the ninja and gently pulled her hands from her face. He looked into the ashen eyes that were slowly turning lavender as Yuffie stared at him with sorrow. He winced a little before shaking his head and wiping the ninja's tears away.

"I worry because I love you, Yuffie." he said suddenly.

The words were out of his mouth before he had time to seriously think about them and the gunslinger was startled as Yuffie gasped a little.

"Wh. . .what?" Yuffie asked trembling. "What did you say?"

Vincent sighed and looked down at the floor.

Was there really a point in running from it anymore? Yes. If he committed to those feelings without being able to back them up he would hurt the woman he loved more than if he had just kept silent.

_So much for the plan. . .I can't do it anymore. . .I just can't._

"I love you, Yuffie. I worry because I cannot be here all of the time. I worry every morning when I leave that I may not see you when I come home. I have grown so used to you being in my life. I cannot remember a time when I have enjoyed seeing another human being so much. You are always smiling, Yuffie. Your smile is  _back_ , and that is what I live for. I want you to be happy. That is why I was worried you had become sad with this place. I know it isn't easy being here all the time, but it will change. . .I'll make it change. . .but for right now, I just want you to be somewhere where I can see you. . .just like this. This Yuffie is the Yuffie that deserves her freedom.

"This is the Yuffie that I love. . ."

Vincent closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around Yuffie as the ninja fell forward into him and started sobbing. He narrowly opened his eyes as he pulled the ninja from her chair and she wrapped her arms around his neck. This was his final sin.

Yuffie Kisaragi was the last thing he would take for himself.

"I'm sorry, Vincent. I am sorry I cause you to worry." Yuffie whispered as she buried her face into his neck. She held onto the gunslinger as she trembled. "I didn't know you cared so much about me. I always thought you didn't like me at all. I mean, to hear you say you love me is kind of a shock! I don't know what to say! I mean, I obviously love you back, but no one has ever shown me the kind of love you have to offer me. I'm. . .I just don't know if I am worthy of it!"

Vincent leaned Yuffie back and looked at her with unyielding crimson eyes as he shook his head.

"Yuffie, I said the words aloud. Did you hear me say them?" he asked firmly.

Yuffie nodded as tears slid down her alabaster cheeks. She closed her eyes and leaned into Vincent's touch as the gunslinger brushed the tears from her face.

"Yes." she whispered as she slowly looked at Vincent. "I heard you."

"Then, you of all people should know, Yuf." Vincent said softly as he put his hand against the ninja's face and held her gaze with his. "I don't say anything unless I mean it."

Yuffie smiled through her tears as Vincent smiled back at her.

She laughed softly.

"Somehow, Vince, that makes me feel a  _lot_  better."

Vincent nodded.

"I had a feeling it would." he said softly. "You bring out the best in the  _man_  I want to be, Yuffie." he added as Yuffie looked at him with a start. "If I bring out the best in you. . .then you have worked miracles on me."

Yuffie's surprise turned to a sweet smile as she leaned forward and put her lips against Vincent's.

Vincent closed his eyes and eased away from the chair Yuffie had been sitting in as the sweet taste of sugar and cinnamon hit his lips. A flame he had held in check for a long time suddenly fanned into a fire as he pulled his lips from Yuffie's and moved them to a spot under her lower jaw. Her skin was soft and her quiet moans hummed through his lips as they moved farther down her neck. As the gunslinger silently smiled against the ninja's skin, he gently put his teeth against a soft spot on the side of her neck.

Yuffie gasped a little and moved her hands to Vincent's shoulders as he relinquished the hold on her neck and moved his lips to her shoulder. She felt a heat forming in the very core of her body as her heartbeat quickened in her chest. She shuddered faintly as Vincent's hand traveled down her side.

She shook her head as the gunslinger tried to pull away.

"No. . .Vincent." she breathed against his ear. "Please. . .please don't stop."

Yuffie enjoyed the taste of Vincent's lips against hers. She parted hers to let his tongue explore as the gunslinger gently lifted her away from the table and eased her to the floor. She closed her eyes and put her cheek against the side of his face as he dragged his lips across her throat and toward her collarbone. Her heart was racing now as Vincent slid his hand up under her shirt and ran his fingers gently across her skin.

The ninja softly moaned and put her hands against the sides of Vincent's face. She could hear his breath getting quicker in his chest, and she felt his heartbeat thundering right behind as the gunslinger lowered his head and let Yuffie run her fingers over his scalp and through his long, black hair. He shuddered as the pleasure that resulted was almost too much to bear.

"Yuffie. . ."

The ninja closed her eyes and relished the gunslinger's weight against her as she slowly eased her body upward.

"Vincent."

"Yuffie, please. . .I. . ."

"I begged you first."

Vincent lifted his head and looked down at the ninja that had wrapped her arms around his neck and was now arching herself into him. A conflicted wince ran through his eyes for a split second before he saw Yuffie smile reassuringly up at him.

"We're dead either way, Vincent, and if it is all the same to you, I'd like to die knowing I wasn't a virgin mind, body, and soul."

She smiled against Vincent's lips as the gunslinger kissed her. She laughed as he moved his lips to the side of her face and tickled a spot just behind her ear.

Her laughter was a drug and he was addicted.

Vincent smiled and narrowly opened his eyes as Yuffie eased her lips to his ear.

"I begged you not to stop, Vincent." the ninja breathed gently. "Please. . .I want you to have me."

Vincent's restraint was not strong enough to hold back the feelings cresting inside of him as he breathed deeply and shuddered against the ninja's breath in the concave of his ear.

"There's nothing I want more, Yuffie." he whispered back.

It was hopeless.

Even as he lifted his head and placed his lips against the ninja's, Vincent Valentine knew that no matter what he could have done, nothing would have stopped this moment from happening. Even as he prayed for a way to keep the one he loved safe, Vincent knew that once he claimed the woman in his arms as  _his_ , her life would become even more vulnerable.

But it didn't matter right now.

They had one another.

He'd protect her. Somehow, he knew he would.

As he gathered Yuffie in his arms and made his way into the next room, Vincent pushed out any unnecessary thoughts. His worries would come later. Now, all that mattered was showing Yuffie how far his love went. She'd see him for everything he was-the good and the bad.


	5. Repeat

Vincent was silent as he rested against the headboard of his bed. The moonlight gently fell across the smooth blankets as the curtains ruffled in the night breeze. The gunslinger looked down as the young woman next to him whimpered a little and huddled closer into his embrace. He gently brushed the ninja's hair out of her eyes and held her closer as she slept with her head against his chest. The scars that traced a map of pain and suffering across his body were illuminated in the pale light that streamed from the window as Vincent leaned over and placed his lips on Yuffie's forehead. His hair fell over his shoulder as he sat up again and allowed Yuffie to wrap her arm around him.

He was not used to having someone depend on him like this; but he was loving every minute of it.

Vincent winced as he painfully began to realize that this made the ninja more fragile than she had been before. Though one could agree with him that the White Rose of Wutai had never been known for her weakness in the face of danger before, one could also say that the stakes against her had never been quite so high as well.

There had been quite a bit of talk surrounding Yuffie's disappearance. Tifa had called to tell him that Godo had gone so far as to send Nicoli out with a small army of soldiers looking for her in Edge and the surrounding cities. Vincent knew that, though. Reeve had warned him of the danger several weeks ago when Yuffie had nearly lost her life. Vincent, himself, had been cornered a few times by the Wutai interrogation, but no one had been able to prove he was in that forest with Yuffie. He was sure Godo believed every word Nicoli told him, but Reeve Tuesti was not new to the game of deceit and he had formed a very solid alibi for Vincent's defense. With a little added help from Rufus Shinra, even the Emperor of Wutai had doubts about where Vincent Valentine was the night his daughter disappeared.

Vincent frowned and looked out the window again as he held Yuffie closer.

Still, it bothered him that Godo was trying so hard. It didn't make sense why he was pushing to find Yuffie when there was no need for her to rule the country. On any other occasion, the Emperor of Wutai could care less about where his ninja daughter kept herself. Often times, Yuffie spent her days in the countryside with the commoners or at Seventh Heaven with Cloud and Tifa. Or, more accurately, the White Rose could be found on a mission with a certain gunslinger. If he truly needed his daughter, Godo could find her. Perhaps that is what unnerved Vincent Valentine most of all.

Vincent's eyes narrowed sharply as a soft knock carried from the living room of his apartment to the bedroom where he held Yuffie. He frowned and looked at the clock resting on the dresser across the room as the knock came again. He waited a few more seconds before he gently eased out from under Yuffie's arm and slowly stood up.

Yuffie moaned softly and winced as Vincent set her head against the pillows and covered her with the blankets. Vincent brushed the hair out of the ninja's eyes and kissed her forehead as a third knock came from the door. The gunslinger cast a warning glare out the window as he picked up a pair of pants from the floor and eased them on. He double checked to make sure that Yuffie was still asleep before he opened the bedroom door and silently made his way into the living room. His long, black bangs hung menacingly in his crimson eyes as he walked across the floor to the foyer. He glared as he looked through the peep hole to see who was on the other side of the door.

His eyebrows rose immediately as he slowly leaned back and opened the door.

"Cloud. . ."

The buster sword wielder looked up with blue green eyes as his blonde hair cast jagged shadows across his face. He looked at the gunslinger without a sound as the taller man let him pass. Vincent looked at Cloud with the same, unyielding silence as he closed and re-locked the door. Cloud finally turned to look at Vincent as the pale light from outside reflected off of the main buster sword blade in the holster on the young man's back.

"Nicoli's convinced Godo that you are the one that has Yuffie and that she is being held against her will. He's gone so far as to blame you for her injuries. Somehow, he managed to intercept the WRO cover and has learned too much about Reeve's involvement. Reeve is denying everything, of course, but all the same, Wutai plans on rebelling if Yuffie isn't returned to the country in twenty four hours. To make matters worse, Nicoli has a hit out on  _you_ , Vincent. He has every decent bounty hunter after you within a good hundred miles. I came to warn you."

Cloud's voice was soft and he looked down at the floor already knowing that what he had just said was all expected. He winced a little as Vincent sighed softly and shifted his weight.

"Hard to kill something that cannot die."

Cloud looked up as Vincent's eyes narrowed.

"Vincent, you are powerful, but not immortal."

Vincent looked at him with a scornful grin.

"Never had the true chance to test that theory." he replied. "But I do know one thing, Cloud. Yuffie is not going back to Wutai."

Cloud was silent as Vincent moved to the other side of the room and looked through a doorway. Truth be told, Cloud didn't like the news anymore than Vincent. He knew that there was something horribly off about Nicoli Patrice; but Yuffie Kisaragi  _was_  the only heir to the Wutai throne and if there was any hope of Wutai's survival it was going to have to be through her. Cloud did not want to see either of his friends suffer. He knew that Vincent had, had enough of that for several lifetimes, and he knew that Yuffie loved Vincent very much. There seemed to be no easy way out of the current situation without someone getting hurt or ending up dead.

He looked at Vincent as the gunslinger turned away from the darkened doorway.

"She's the last thing I've taken for myself, Cloud."

Cloud was startled as Vincent's tone changed drastically. The gunslinger's voice was quiet and eased over a bed of trembles that sounded like tears from the soul rising up from beneath a well that had been dry for many, many years. The buster sword wielder remained silent as Vincent Valentine looked up with determined, crimson eyes.

"Yuffie Kisaragi belongs in my care and will remain with me. This is where she needs to be. . .this is where she  _wants_ to be."

"Vincent, he will kill you." Cloud said trying to be reasonable.

The words sounded foreign to Cloud's lips and even as he tried to say them meaningfully, they sounded hollow and boring. The buster sword wielder vainly winced as Vincent's eyes narrowed dangerously. From behind the crimson irises a familiar demon grinned and caused the blonde to shudder subconsciously.

Even from the bowels of the Planet, Chaos still managed to shake him.

"Think about Yuffie, Vincent." Cloud said as Vincent moved to where Cerberus was kept. "If you die, then so will she. She won't be able to stand it without you here."

"I am thinking about her, Cloud." Vincent said as he looked up with a wince. "She is all I have thought about for nearly three years. Why on Gaia's green earth did you think I was willing to go on all of those missions with her? Why did you all think that I was the only one that could  _control_  her as Cid so succinctly put it? I  _love_  her, Cloud. There is nothing I want to protect  _more_  than Yuffie Kisaragi. Every time I leave this apartment I am terrified I am going to come back and find her gone and end up with a bullet in me somewhere from the bastard that took her from me. You aren't telling me anything I didn't expect, Cloud. In fact, you are just reassuring me of everything I need to do to keep that son of a bitch away from her."

Cloud was startled by Vincent's eloquent rebuttal and had to regroup for a moment as the gunslinger removed Cerberus from its case and then pulled a second box from the trunk in the living room closet. Cloud finally sighed and shook his head.

"I am not questioning your loyalty or your love for Yuffie, Vincent. I just do not want either of my friends hurt."

Vincent stopped what he was doing and slowly looked up through the ebony curtains in his face. He studied the blonde for a moment and decided that being a smartass was not going to help the situation.

"Cloud, what would you do if Tifa had married someone else?" he finally asked softly. "What would it have felt like watching her walk down the aisle with someone other than  _you_?"

Cloud frowned a little and remained silent.

Vincent was unyielding as he shook his head.

"If you don't have an answer, then you don't really understand, Cloud. . .and are, therefore, wasting my time." the gunslinger replied as he made to open the second case.

"I would want to kill the son of a bitch that took her from me."

Vincent stopped for a moment and looked up at Cloud as the buster sword wielder's eyes trained themselves on the gunslinger. Vincent could sense Cloud's seriousness as the blonde frowned.

"I would be dying on the inside. It would be a wound that would never stop bleeding and it would always cause me pain. . .and I would always want the bastard that took her from me to die for my suffering." Cloud said softly as he shifted his weight. "But, on the other hand, Tifa's need to marry another would have stemmed from me never speaking up about my true feelings. My suffering would have only been caused by me and, therefore, would not have ceased with the death of my competitor. So, you see, Vincent, even if you manage to keep Nicoli away from Yuffie, what kind of life would it be? You would be running away all of the time. You and Yuffie would  _always_  be in danger. Do you really want that?"

Vincent glared at the gun in his hands. He knew that Cloud was getting him to think rationally, but he did not need rational at the present moment. He needed action.

He needed anger.

"Cloud, I would run forever if I knew Yuffie was safe, alive, and happy." Vincent said softly as he kept his eyes on Cerberus. "I would even be willing to hand her to another if I knew she'd be truly happy. I do not mean happy for the sake of others, but truly  _happy_  for herself."

The gunslinger looked up at Cloud with a shake of his head.

"Yuffie Kisaragi is none of those things if I hand her over to Nicoli and Godo. I will not turn away from her because my life is threatened. My life does not mean  _anything_  without her in it. Life with a purpose, Cloud, isn't that what you all told me when you found me? At first, yes, it was simply for revenge. But when that ran out, I found faith in  _her._  I found hope in a place where you all saw youth, ignorance, and poor thieving skills. I am sorry, Cloud, I truly am. . .but I would rather offer up my life and save hers than return her to a place she has no desire to return to. . ."

Cloud was about to retort when a door creaked from across the room. He and Vincent turned simultaneously as Yuffie stood in the doorway of the bedroom. Her eyes were a brilliant lavender as the black shirt she wore rustled against her thighs. Her fingers fell from the door frame as Vincent quickly stood up.

"Yuffie. . ."

Vincent painfully held the ninja as she came hurtling from the doorway and plowed into him. He felt Yuffie's tears against his skin as he buried his fingers in her short, black hair and held her tighter. Her fingers dug gently into his back.

"I. . .I. . .I'm so. . .so. . sorry, Vinc. . .Vincent!" Yuffie hiccupped through her tears. "I. . .I am so. . .sorry!"

Vincent gently leaned back and put a hand against Yuffie's cheek as he tilted her face upward and shook his head.

"Why are you apologizing, Yuffie?" he asked calmly as Yuffie's eyes turned a red shade of purple. "Why are you sorry?"

Yuffie sniffled.

"Be. . .because. . .y. . .you hav. . .have to make. . .this choice between. . .me. . .me. . . _and you_!"

Vincent gathered Yuffie up in his arms. He held her silently for a few moments and looked at Cloud as the buster sword wielder promptly turned a shade of red and looked away. Vincent slowly looked down at the ninja and gently shook his head as he put his cheek against her forehead.

"Yuffie, there was never a choice to be made." he breathed. "I said I loved you, and that is something that can never be taken away. I told you before that you were never a burden on me. You are not a burden now, and I will fight for what rightfully belongs to both of us. You and I are a part of one another whether we like it or not, and I would never want to change that. I've meant every word I've said, Yuf, and I won't give you up unless you want to be given. And if there are  _any_  choices left to be made between  _you_  and  _me_  then they would have to be  _when_  would we like to be married,  _where_ , and  _what_  dance will I have to teach you  _this_  time?"

She slowly looked up at Vincent with wide, innocent eyes as the gunslinger smiled a little and gently brushed the stray tears from her face. His fingers lingered on her cheeks as Yuffie's face lit up in the smile made especially for him.

She laughed a little.

"Do. . .do you mean that, too?" she whispered.

Vincent's smile broadened as he pulled Yuffie to his chest and hugged her tightly.

His drug. . .her laughter was his drug. . .

"Every word, love. . .every word." he breathed.

Vincent looked up as Cloud nervously cleared his throat and looked at him with a red face and blue green eyes heavy with worry. The gunslinger allowed Yuffie to turn and face the buster sword wielder as Cloud shook his head and looked at them.

"I can't make you change your minds." Cloud said softly. "If you want the honest truth, I am happy for both of you. . .but that doesn't change what Nicoli is capable of when what he believes is his is taken from him. I don't want to lose either of you."

Yuffie smiled a little.

"You won't." she said softly.

Vincent nodded as Yuffie leaned against him and turned away from the buster sword wielder.

"Though I am curious, Cloud," the gunslinger said with a small frown, "how did you find out about the bounty on my head."

Yuffie looked at the piece of paper Cloud held out with a face between horror and anger. She looked up at Vincent as the gunslinger looked at pictures of himself from when he was a Turk and from his time against Deepground.

Vincent looked at Cloud as the buster sword wielder shook his head.

"The  _best_  bounty hunters, Vincent." Cloud said softly. "Cid and Barret got one, too. Baret's on his way back and Cid is wanting to know what kind of trouble you both are in now."

Vincent chuckled a bit as he waded up the wanted poster and threw it aside.

"I'm worth more than 2 million Gil. They are going to have to offer more money if they want _the best_ bounty hunters to turn me over to them. That is, unless, you and the other members of AVALANCHE had plans to turn me over."

"Vincent!"

Cloud frowned, appalled.

"Tifa would skin us all if the thought had even crossed our minds."

Vincent laughed softly.

Yuffie looked down with a wince and wrapped her arms around Vincent's waist as Cloud remarked on Vincent's lack of concern. This was all her fault. If she would have just gone home, Vincent would not be in so much danger. He wouldn't have to worry about saving her because she'd have been fine. She'd have been miserable, but she would have been fine.

Yuffie looked up with a start as Vincent wrapped his arm around her tighter and continued his conversation with Cloud.

He knew she was worried.

Yuffie smiled painfully as she closed her eyes and put her cheek against Vincent's chest. She listened to Vincent's heartbeat. Its rhythm was strong and constant beneath his ribs. His heart was just like her mother's. . .one day, his would stop beating because of her, too.

Vincent looked down with a calm expression on his face as Yuffie trembled and buried her face into his skin. He sighed softly and put his right hand at the back of her head.

Cloud genuinely felt sorry for Yuffie as he watched the ninja shrink back. He had never seen her so downtrodden. Even when she was horribly upset, the ninja never lost the spark in her step. She never quit acting like she had the world by its tail. Now, the young woman could hardly stand up straight let alone take on the world.

He looked up at Vincent as the gunslinger gently kissed the top of Yuffie's head and looked back at him.

"We will help in any way we can, Vincent. . .but it probably isn't safe here anymore. As an alternative, I would suggest using your Neo Shinra influence to get away from Kalm for awhile."

Vincent nodded silently while he ran his fingers through Yuffie's hair.

"You are probably right, Cloud." he said softly. "But Nicoli is a fool if he thinks he can beat me."

Cloud raised an eyebrow as Vincent's demeanor changed again.

Vincent frowned as his crimson eyes narrowed.

"Because if he believes I am going to let him take what belongs to  _me_ , then he has a very rude awakening."

"Vincent, he knows about Galian Beast, and all he would have to do to sedate you would be to find the weakness in the chain." Cloud said softly, gathering Vincent's angle. "Any information Hojo left on what he did to you could be just as accessible as the data that you recovered from Lucrecia Crescent. If that's the case, Vincent, then he's taken your power and your immortality all at once."

"I do not need the Protomateria as I am." Vincent said countering Cloud's argument and holding Yuffie close. "Without Chaos, the Protomateria is nothing more than a hollow sphere. Its power is used to balance Chaos's. Right now it's just plugging a hole in my chest. . ."

Cloud accepted this and raised his eyebrow as a horrible, foreboding feeling ran up his spine.

"Then, if that isn't what you meant. . .what  _do_  you mean?" he asked softly.

He frowned as the gunslinger's eyes narrowed vehemently.

"Vincent. . ."

"It's the only way." Vincent said softly.

He glared as the prospect of dealing with Chaos again made him flinch. Chaos had been the one demon that had bested the gunslinger. His haunting laughter still gave Vincent Valentine nightmares, but if the gunslinger wanted any insurance that his life would remain intact, he was going to have to assume the responsibility of being host once more. This time, however, it would be a willing parasitic relationship. He would have to try harder to keep himself under control, but for the cause, it was worth it.

"Vincent, please . . . "

Vincent looked down at Yuffie as her hoarse whisper trailed up his abdomen. He winced as the ninja's red and lavender eyes stared up at him.

"Please don't call Chaos back. . .he. . .he destroyed you the first time. You were always in so much pain, and we didn't know how to help you. . .I. . .I just couldn't live with myself knowing I forced you into that kind of position! I just couldn't! Please, Vince. . . _please don't do it!_ "

Vincent wrapped both of his arms around the ninja and held her tightly.

He looked up as Cloud sighed.

"Vincent, she is right. Chaos caused you nothing but grief. What good would it do to bring him back? Worse than that, and I can't believe I am saying this, but what if Nicoli was counting on you to call on Chaos? What if that was Nicoli's plan all along? Deepground needed you to call Omega, and if you call Chaos back, we run the risk of calling Omega, too. We nearly lost you once, Vincent, don't ask us to do it again."

"Nicoli won't get Omega."

Cloud looked at Vincent with surprise as the gunslinger kept his eyes on the young woman in his arms.

"What?"

Vincent sighed and shook his head.

"In that final battle, when Chaos and Omega and I all collided and everything returned to the Planet, the blast actually forced Chaos and I apart. Through all of that, Omega actually split apart, and each of the key pieces was absorbed by different parts of the Lifestream and carried away. Even if I attempted to use Lucrecia's research to call Chaos back to my body, Omega could never be called back in this time period. . .at least, not in one piece."

Cloud took this in and looked at Vincent with a confused shake of his head.

"So, then, in theory, Omega would have to be put together again through time as the pieces recycle themselves through the Lifestream?"

Vincent nodded.

"But, then if that's true, how did you end up back here?" Cloud asked softly.

Vincent shook his head.

"I don't know."

"I called for him."

Vincent looked down at Yuffie as the ninja croaked softly. His face showed his surprise when she met his gaze.

Yuffie smiled half heartedly as she nodded and looked at Cloud.

"Every night I cried myself to sleep and called out for him to come home. I called for him. I begged the Lifestream to give him back. . ."

Vincent's eyes widened as Yuffie turned and smiled truthfully up at him.

". . .I said I would trade my life. . .for his. . .if the Lifestream would only give him back. . .and. . .and I almost did, Vince. . .when Nicoli tried to kill you. . .I made good on my promise to the Lifestream and I just about gave my life. But I guess you can't give yourself up when the damned vampire you're trying to save is offering up his life for yours, too."

"A life for a life." Vincent whispered softly.

Yuffie smiled and leaned into Vincent's fingers as the gunslinger caressed her cheek.

"Two lives made whole by the same wrongs. . ." she said softly. ". . .our promises cancel each other out, Vince. I think we're square."

The ninja let the gunslinger crush her with his arms as he picked her up and held her tightly. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes.

It didn't matter anymore.

He said he loved her.

"I won't ever let you go, Yuffie." Vincent whispered into Yuffie's ear. "I promise. . ."

Yuffie narrowly opened her eyes and shook her head.

"I don't want you to hurt, Vincent. Please, don't do something for me that will hurt you. I am serious when I say that I cannot live without you in my life, Vince."

Vincent winced.

"I would never hurt you, Yuffie. . .not if I could help it." he said softly. "I cannot promise I wouldn't sacrifice myself. I am sorry, Yuffie. . .it's your life over mine."

"I know. . ."

Yuffie turned her head and looked at Cloud as the buster sword wielder made a small noise in his throat. The ninja smiled a little as Vincent slowly set her on the ground and looked at her.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. I know you mean well, and I know I have to go back to Wutai. . .but I cannot do it without Vincent. I love him, and he stood by me when no one else would. If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead. I don't know what we'll do, but we'll think of something, okay?"

"As long as you know what you're doing." the buster sword wielder said softly. "Let me know if I can help."

Yuffie smiled and nodded as Vincent pulled her closer.

Vincent winced a little and looked down at Yuffie as she held onto him.

"Cloud, could you take Yuffie to the Neo Shinra building?"

Yuffie instantly tensed and Cloud looked at Vincent with a start as the gunslinger painfully sighed and shook his head.

"Vincent?"

Yuffie stepped back and looked at Vincent with a shake of her head.

"No, Vince. I'm not leaving you here."

"It isn't permanent, Yuf." Vincent said taking Yuffie's hands in his. "But it is the one place I can think of that you will be safe. The Turk unit still has a grudge against your father and they won't turn you over to him or Nicoli. I have to go away for awhile, and I need to make sure you're safe."

"Go away?" Yuffie said softly as she winced. "Why?"

Vincent painfully sighed and looked at Yuffie with sorrowful, crimson eyes.

The ninja could see the gunslinger's intentions behind his irises and she trembled as tears slid down her face.

"Please. . .Vincent. . ."

"It will be okay, Yuffie." Vincent breathed shaking his head. "Go with Cloud to the Shinra building. I will contact Reeve and Rufus. This is something I have to do, Yuffie. Please, don't make it any harder for me than it already is. I do this, only because I cannot stand to see you cry. . ."

Yuffie painfully closed her eyes and leaned into Vincent's fingers as the gunslinger gently brushed her tears away.

Everything was going all wrong.

"Vincent, there has to be another way to stop Nicoli." Cloud said as Yuffie looked down and let her arms fall limp at her sides. "Don't you think calling a demon back is a little too much for one man?"

"It isn't just about Nicoli, Cloud." Vincent said softly as he turned away from Yuffie and looked at the buster sword wielder. "Now it is about taking back the one thing none of us have fully defeated."

"I don't understand." Cloud said softly. "The war with Sephiroth ended. . ."

Vincent frowned.

"I always knew that my destiny was intertwined with Chaos and Omega. It was not a destiny I chose for myself, but even with Chaos returned to the Planet, I still hear the lingering calls of his voice. I just have this foreboding feeling. . .it was something I felt from Nicoli at your wedding. It was something I knew I would have to face when the time came. If I do not reclaim what only my body can contain, all of us may be worse off later."

Cloud digested this with a grim face. He had never fully understood Chaos and Vincent. In fact, he had never understood how one man could survive so much hell. As he watched Vincent reached for Yuffie's hand and try to draw her closer, the buster sword wielder realized that the gunslinger was no longer living his life for himself, he was living it for  _her_.

"Come on, Yuffie. I'll take you to Rufus."

Yuffie turned away from Vincent with forlorn, lavender eyes as Cloud spoke softly.

She shook her head vainly as Cloud held his position.

"No, no I won't go. . ."

"Cloud, could you give us a minute." Vincent said softly as Yuffie glared at the buster sword wielder and tensed up like she was about to make a run for it.

"I will wait outside." Cloud said with a nod.

As the blonde made his way to the door and quietly shut it behind him, Vincent slowly reached out for Yuffie. He sighed as the ninja moved away from him and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Yuffie. . ."

"I'm not leaving, Vincent." Yuffie said softly. "If I run from him, he will only hunt me, and I am not going to be hunted."

"You aren't running, Yuffie, you're hiding, and the only reason you're doing that is because you cannot fight an honest fight with him." Vincent said softly as he looked at Yuffie's back. "He'd kill you like this, and I am not giving you the choice of staying behind. I'm  _telling_  you to go."

Yuffie turned with a small glare.

"What?"

"Yuffie, I cannot guarantee your safety if you come with me." Vincent said carefully. "But I know that you will be safe if you are with the Turks."

"And if I decide to go back to Wutai on my own?"

Vincent painfully closed his eyes and tried to control his own emotions as he dealt with Yuffie's. He knew she was upset and being stubborn only because she was afraid of what would happen. He knew she blamed herself more than anything.

He sighed.

"Then I cannot stop you, Yuffie." he said softly. "But I know you don't want that."

Yuffie winced as she uncrossed her arms and tried to remain angry.

She turned away as she trembled again.

"I don't want you to go."

Vincent slowly walked forward and wrapped his arms around Yuffie. He pulled her back against his body and held her tightly as the ninja remained unresponsive. The gunslinger's crimson eyes narrowed slightly as his hair fell into his eyes. He put his head on top of Yuffie's and shook from the magnitude of the situation as he sighed.

"I don't want to either, Yuffie. . .but I have to. . .it is something I have always known I would need to do. . ."

"But. . .why?"

Yuffie turned around and looked up at Vincent as the gunslinger reluctantly let her go. The ninja looked up at Vincent with hurt, lavender eyes as she shook her head.

"You sacrificed yourself the first time, Vince. Why in the hell do you need to subject yourself to it again after it has returned to the Planet?"

"Because if I don't, someone else might." Vincent said softly. "Someone that Chaos could easily manipulate and use to destroy the entire Universe. If that happened, I couldn't live with myself, knowing I could have stopped it and didn't."

Yuffie was about to fire off another question when she suddenly understood what Vincent was saying. Her eyes grew wide with fright as they looked up into Vincent's weary, pale face.

"You mean. . .someone like Nicoli. . ."

Vincent nodded.

"Yes."

Yuffie laughed with a bit of edge in her voice.

"Do you honestly think he would try to find Chaos?"

"I don't think he knows what he is looking for, yet." Vincent said shaking his head. "But the feeling I got from him at Cloud and Tifa's wedding was the same feeling I used to get when Chaos was rising to my conscious. Nicoli may have the intelligence and cunning he does only  _because_  of a demon he already possesses."

Yuffie trembled and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Meaning, Cloud was probably right. . .Hojo and Lucrecia left enough behind so that someone else could replicate their work. . ."

Vincent nodded again.

"Yes."

The gunslinger reached forward and caught Yuffie as she nearly tumbled to the ground from shaking. He held her tightly and put his head on top of hers as Yuffie buried her face into his chest and trembled.

"I'm scared, Vincent. . .I'm . . .scared!"

Vincent held Yuffie tighter. He shook his head as Yuffie wrapped her arms around him.

"It will be all right, Yuffie. I promise. You'll be all right."

"Don't leave me, Vincent, please. . ."

Vincent leaned Yuffie back and painfully lifted her face with a gentle hand.

He shook his head.

"I will never leave you, Yuffie." he said softly. "Even if I am not beside you, I am always with you. What makes me makes you. . .you take a piece of me wherever you go. No matter  _what_  happens, Yuffie, no one can take that away from you. You will always have me, Yuf. . .my everything belongs to you."

Yuffie painfully smiled as more tears spilled over her cheeks. She laughed softly as she threw her arms around Vincent and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, you old vampire." she whispered.

Vincent smiled a little and held the ninja close.

"I love you, too, dragonfly. . ."

Yuffie leaned back and smiled at Vincent as they heard Cloud's bike start up from outside the building.

"I guess that means he's getting impatient." the ninja remarked softly.

Vincent laughed gently.

"He's only looking out for you, too, Yuf."

Yuffie nodded.

"That doesn't mean I like it, though. . ."

Vincent smiled.

"I'll help you get your things ready, come on." he said extending a hand to the ninja.

Yuffie smiled back and took Vincent's hand as he led her into his bedroom. She helped Vincent put a few of the things she had in Vincent's apartment into a small, black bag and watched as the gunslinger cautiously checked out the bedroom window.

"Is it all clear?" she asked softly.

Vincent nodded.

"Just Cloud." he answered.

He looked at Yuffie as she slid on her shoes and turned to face him. He made a mental image of her to take with him as the ninja smiled  _his_  smile and tilted her head so her black bangs fell across her face.

"Something wrong, Vince?"

Vincent shook his head.

"No. I'm making a memory of you. . .just like this."

Yuffie smiled a little before raising her eyebrows and going over to her bag.

Vincent watched her dig through her things with curiosity until the ninja stood up straight and pulled her khaki pouch from the belt that had been removed from her person the night she had been injured.

"What are you doing, Yuffie?" he asked.

Yuffie smiled as she took out a small, silver chain with a strange, glowing orb on the end of it out of the pouch from her belt.

"My mother gave me this when I was born. She never truthfully explained what it was, but I know it is important because my father keeps asking me if I still have it. I've always carried it around to remind me of my mother, but since you are going away, and won't see me for awhile, I want you to take this with you. Whenever I got sad or lonely, this helped me feel closer to the one I loved most. . .I bet it would work the same for you."

Vincent shook his head as Yuffie held the necklace out.

"I couldn't take that from you, Yuffie."

"You aren't taking it, Vincent." Yuffie stated simply. "I'm giving it to you. . .and you don't have a choice. I had to take your blood, didn't I?"

"That's different. . ."

"Not really. . .imagine you were dying. . .and this was the one thing you had to live on. . ." Yuffie interjected with a smirk.

Vincent looked down at the ninja with narrow, crimson eyes as Yuffie walked forward and placed the necklace in his hand and smiled at him.

"Take it, Vince. . .and remember you have someone to come home to, okay?"

Vincent smiled now as his fingers slowly clenched around the object in his hand. A calming power settled over him as a warmth like no other spread through his veins.

He nodded slowly.

"I will come home to you. . .I promise."

Yuffie smiled a little.

"I know you will."

Fenrir's engine revved a little outside as Yuffie looked at the window for a moment before shaking her head and smiling at Vincent.

"No matter what happens, Vincent. . .I'll stand by your side. . ."

Vincent was startled by this statement and looked at Yuffie with a split second of fear as the ninja turned away and grabbed her bag.

"I will love only you. . .no matter  _what_  happens to me. . .I just wanted you to know. . ."

"Yuffie. . ."

Yuffie closed her eyes and let Vincent hold her as his lips came down upon hers. She committed the taste of his lips and the feel of his skin to memory as the gunslinger slowly pulled away and looked down at her.

"I love you." he breathed.

Yuffie smiled.

"I love you, too. . .come back to me?"

"As soon as I can."

"Then I trust you. . .Vincent. . ."

Vincent painfully hugged Yuffie for a moment before gently relinquishing her and taking her hand. He slowly led her through the apartment and down the stairs to where Cloud was waiting outside for them. Cloud looked at them with somber, blue green eyes as he held out a black helmet for Yuffie.

Yuffie raised an eyebrow knowing that Cloud hardly ever used a helmet and that Tifa never usually wore one either.

"It's to hide your face a bit better while I get you to Rufus." Cloud said understanding Yuffie's confusion. "And I make the kids wear one when they ride with me, too." he added as he anticipated Yuffie's next question.

Yuffie stuck out her tongue in a playful gesture and took the helmet before looking at Vincent. She smiled up at him as the gunslinger traced his fingers across her cheek.

"Hurry back, Vince. Cause I'll miss sleeping next to someone so warm."

Vincent smiled warmly at the ninja before nodding and gently kissing her lips.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. . .be good for the Turks. . .they aren't as strong as I am."

Yuffie smiled and nodded as Vincent helped her with the helmet and she turned to get on Fenrir behind Cloud.

Vincent looked at the buster sword wielder as the blonde turned and looked at him.

"Rufus is expecting us, and Reeve is expecting  _you_. He says that Shelke can tell you exactly where to go."

"Hmm, I had a feeling she would." Vincent said softly.

He tried to keep from wincing as Yuffie positioned herself comfortably and turned to look at him through the darkened visor.

"I'll take care of her for you, Vincent." Cloud said softly.

Vincent was startled as Cloud kicked the bike into gear and looked at him earnestly.

"I will keep her safe until you return."

Vincent nodded once and turned his gaze to Yuffie as the ninja waved and Cloud took off. The gunslinger watched until he could no longer see Yuffie or Fenrir. After the sound had finally faded away, Vincent Valentine painfully sighed and walked back into his apartment. He slowly closed the door behind him and went to stand above Cerberus and the still unopened second case when his phone rang from the other room. He frowned a little and walked into his bedroom. He picked up the black, silver plated phone and looked at the incoming number with another frown.

As he opened it and placed the receiver to his ear, the familiar monotone answered.

"Vincent Valentine, what you seek can be found where she ended. . ."

 


	6. Ritardo

"What's shaken, Shuriken Matron?"

Cloud frowned a little and kicked the kickstand out underneath Fenrir as the hangar door slowly slammed shut behind him. From beside him, Yuffie pulled the black helmet off of her head and shook her hair out. The ninja smirked at the red ponytail clad Turk as he grinned at her with eyes gleaming.

"My blood pressure, you red headed freak. . ."

Reno laughed a little as the small, blonde headed woman next to him rolled her eyes and looked up at a taller man with black hair.

"Miss Kisaragi, welcome to Shinra Headquarters." the taller man said with a small bow. "Mr. Shinra has asked us to take good care of you."

Yuffie smiled a little as Cloud helped her stand straight. She repositioned the bag over her shoulder and winced as she touched her still healing wound.

"Thank you, Tseng. . .it means a lot to me."

Tseng nodded silently and turned as a couple of young Turks ran up to him out of breath. One of the Turks shoved his bright blue bangs out of his face as his icy, slate colored eyes narrowed a bit. The woman next to him looked frightened as her long, brown ponytail came to a stop at her backside and her bright, green eyes shimmered. Their standard, blue Turk uniforms were dirty and wrinkled as Reno started snickering.

"Vox, Rina, what on Earth happened?" Tseng asked with a start.

Rina looked like she was going to start crying.

Vox sighed irritably and looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry, sir, Commander Rude had asked us to clean out the main barracks and when we were just getting finished, an air vent blew out of the ceiling and the entire barrack was covered in ash."

Tseng's eyebrows rose more with amusement than anger as Rina bowed her head and put her hands in front of herself. He heard Reno trying to control himself behind him and sighed as he rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Reno, would you happen to know what Vox is talking about?"

Reno looked up at Tseng with wide, innocent eyes as he grinned.

"Nope. No idea whatsoever. I guess Ice Head and pretty girl Pigtail can't clean a barrack properly."

Tseng sighed again as Vox looked up and glared hatefully at Reno. He turned as a dark shadow came up behind Vox and Rina.

"Rude, would  _you_  happen to know what happened in the main barracks?"

Rude looked down at Vox and Rina through his normal, dark tinted lenses and then looked back at Tseng.

"I told them to clean it." the man answered simply.

Yuffie smiled sympathetically as Reno burst out laughing and Rina started crying. Vox made to go after Reno but was calmly restrained by one of Rude's hands. The icy blue eyes narrowed threateningly as Vox stood still and waited for judgment.

"Since you seem to have so much energy, Reno," Tseng said with a small frown, "and since Vox and Rina have another task today, I think that you can tidy up the barracks a second time."

Reno's laughter died down into a whine as he shook his head.

"What! Why should  _I_  have to clean up the little brats’ mess?"

"Because I have reason to believe you  _started_  it." Tseng replied simply. "Now, go."

Reno rolled his eyes and grumbled, but as he slouched off toward the back of the hangar, he slipped Rude a low five and picked up his step into the dark.

Tseng sighed and looked at the ground.

"Idiots."

"I'm sorry, sir." Vox said looking down at the ground again.

"It's all right, Vox." Tseng said as he looked up and shook his head. "Take Rina back to the Training Room and calm her down, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Vox said looking up and nodding. "Come on, Rin."

Rina allowed herself to be led away as she hid her face in her hands.

As they vanished into the darkness, Cloud made a small noise in his throat.

"A winning force you've got, Tseng. Rufus must be proud." he said softly.

"Vox is hot headed and brash, right after Reno's own heart." Tseng replied coolly. "But he is the best, damn endurance fighter we have ever trained. He can take about any hit and keep on coming. His firearms skill isn't half bad either."

"What about the girl?" Cloud asked as he adjusted the buster sword in its holster. "She doesn't seem like your 'type.'"

"She normally isn't." the blonde haired woman replied with her blue eyes narrowed. "But she can decode several different languages and her computer skills are unmatched."

Tseng laughed softly.

"Elena is feeling a little threatened by young Rina."

"No I'm  _not_." the blonde replied huffily. "I'm just not used to having a  _woman_  Turk around. . .that's all."

"Computer skills?" Yuffie asked softly. "But, she seems so frail."

"She is." Tseng said with a shake of his head. "She's very sensitive to the way we train. We aren't even sure if she speaks. She doesn't when any of us are around, but she has taken to Vox well enough, and they are about the same age, so we often let him speak for her. It works for them and we can live with it for what they can provide."

"Hmm." Cloud replied crossing his arms. "Makes sense."

Yuffie just looked at him before smiling and looking at Tseng.

"Thank you. . .again, for doing this. You don't know how much it means to Vincent and me."

"Vincent has done a lot of good in building relations between the WRO and Shinra as well as helping us train the new Turk recruits." Tseng said softly. "I am getting too old to train kids like Reno. Best leave it to someone who has a half life to him."

Yuffie let this comment roll off of her even though the fact that Vincent's age hadn't changed in several decades had begun to bother her recently.

Tseng had realized his faux pas and cleared his throat with a small smile.

"But enough of that. Simply put, Vincent Valentine has helped us, and we have promised to help him. Rufus has asked us to alert him when you arrived. Elena and I are starting the morning training sessions in an hour and I know Reno won't get anything done unless I send Rude to help, so let me see if Rina has calmed down enough so that she and Vox can take you upstairs. Will that be all right?"

Yuffie smiled and nodded.

"Yes, of course. I mean, I am staying at  _his_  place, so I guess it has to be, right?"

Tseng smiled again and turned to Rude.

"Rude, on your way to help Reno, could you please ask Vox and Rina to come back here?"

Rude nodded.

"If she hasn't composed herself, please send Midori." Tseng said with a small nod. "She should be in the TR by now."

Rude nodded again before turning around and walking back the way he had come.

Tseng turned to face Cloud as the buster sword wielder stood beside Yuffie.

"Is there anything else we can do, Cloud?" the Turk asked quietly.

Cloud shook his head.

"I am making sure she is fine before I leave, that is all." he replied. "I have my own promise to keep."

Tseng nodded.

"Understood." he said as he turned to Yuffie. "Miss Kisaragi, if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask one of us."

Yuffie smiled again.

"Thank you, Tseng. Please, don't let me keep you."

Tseng bowed a little before turning to Elena who promptly nodded and followed him out of the hangar.

The lights buzzed in the emptiness of the space as Yuffie turned to look at Cloud with a small smile.

"You don't have to stay here, Cloud." she said sympathetically. "You have done enough already. . .I mean, I actually owe you for punching you at your wedding."

Cloud smirked a little.

"It was a good hit, but I don't think it caused too much damage." he said shaking his head. "Besides, like I said, I made a promise to Vincent. I will make sure that Rufus is going to play fair before I leave you in his custody."

Yuffie was slightly perturbed by this and shifted uncomfortably as she looked at the blonde.

"Do you think he would really turn me over to my father?"

"Rufus? No." Cloud said shaking his head. "And I do not think Tseng would either. No, I am more worried about how you will be treated, that is all. When I am confident enough that we weren't followed and that Nicoli doesn't have a clue as to where you went, I will leave."

Yuffie was startled.

"Cloud?"

Cloud smiled a little.

"I know that we've been pretty hard on you, Yuffie, but Vincent's right. You have changed. You aren't the spunky, annoying ninja we love to hate. You're something much worse now. . ."

"Gee, thanks." Yuffie said with a sour frown.

"No, not like that." Cloud said shaking his head. "You've grown sad. You don't laugh or joke like you used to. . .even with Vincent. I have never seen you cry either. I have seen you take some of the worst spills in history, and you have always bounced right back from them. You may have been spitting mad and cursing in Wutainese, but you always retained what made you Yuffie Kisaragi. To watch you sob like that. . .it made  _me_  want to hold you and take away your pain."

Yuffie looked at Cloud with wide eyes as the buster sword wielder blushed furiously and shook his head.

"All I am saying is that I don't want you to be like this anymore. Tifa doesn't want you acting like this. . .hell, even  _Cid_  wishes you'd be your annoying self again."

" _Cid_?" Yuffie asked with disbelief.

Cloud nodded.

"We miss you, Yuffie. We just want our thieving ninja back. . ."

Yuffie was silent and turned away from Cloud as footsteps echoed off of the metal floor.

Maybe she had been wrong. . .

Vox slowly came to a stop in front of Cloud and Yuffie with Rina in tow beside him. He looked down at his female counterpart before looking at Yuffie with a small bow.

"Miss Kisaragi, if you would like to follow us, we will take you to Commander Shinra's office. He's expecting you."

Yuffie grinned.

"The name's Yuffie. My mother wasn't even  _Miss_  Kisaragi." she said with a nod as Rina hurried forward and motioned toward Yuffie's bag.

Yuffie was surprised as the young woman gently lifted the bag from her shoulder and put it over her own. She looked at Rina with wide, lavender grey eyes as Rina adjusted her Turk jacket and bowed her head.

"Th. . thank you, Rina, was it?"

Rina nodded quickly and kept her head bowed as she backed up to stand beside Vox.

Cloud frowned a little and stood beside Yuffie as Vox turned around. The light caught the blue in his hair as he looked over his shoulder.

"Please follow me, then, Yuffie."

Yuffie looked up at Cloud who nodded silently. She shrugged and followed the blue headed Turk.

_I wonder what it's like for Vince trying to train these guys. Tseng said that this Vox guy was really good with firearms, and I know that is what Vincent specializes in. . .hmmm, I will have to remember to ask Vincent when I see him again._

Yuffie winced a little as she thought about her lover.

She brought her arms up around herself as Vox pressed the button next to an elevator.

It was going to be a cold morning.

Vox allowed Cloud and Yuffie to step inside the elevator first and made sure Rina was beside him before pressing the button for the top floor of the building. As the doors slid shut, Yuffie closed her eyes.

She hated elevators.  _Hated_  them about as much as she hated flying.

The doors soon re-opened and Vox lead the group down a carpeted hallway to a wooden doorway at the north end of the building. Vox looked back at the others for a split second before straightening up and knocking on the door.

"Come in." a voice replied from the other side.

Vox quickly opened the door and gestured for Cloud and Yuffie to go in first. Yuffie smiled and thanked him as she entered the brightly lit office. Her eyes widened at all of the portraits and pictures hanging amidst battle charts and maps along the four walls of the office. There was a small lounge area with chairs and a sofa off to the right of the door and as she and Cloud entered the room, there was a large, wooden desk in the center. As Vox closed the door and stood next to Rina in front of it, a tall, graceful man stood up from behind the desk.

Rufus Shinra smiled with bright eyes as he walked out from behind the desk. A thick black cane was in his right hand as his white, dress suit moved noiselessly against his skin.

"Princess Kisaragi, a pleasure to see you well. The last time I saw you, you looked like death itself." he said with a nod.

Yuffie smiled and shook Rufus's extended hand with a nod.

"You can call me Yuffie, Rufus, because I think after all we've been through as a collective group, we are on a first name basis."

Rufus laughed.

"Yes, yes, of course."

He looked at Cloud with a small smile.

"Vincent is lucky to have you on his side, Cloud." he said softly.

Cloud made a small noise in his throat.

"I think that I am the one that is lucky." he replied. "Vincent isn't the teamwork kind."

Rufus shook his head.

"That he isn't, but it is good to see that he is asking for help for once. This Nicoli character is not someone I am fond of at the moment."

Yuffie watched with concerned eyes as Rufus walked slowly back to his desk and eased himself into his chair. She noted how Rufus winced as he moved, but she looked at him and shook her head.

"What do you mean? Has he been here?"

Rufus smiled reassured.

"Of course he has. He believes I am as involved as Reeve. Unfortunately for him, I do not take kindly to those who seek to recreate the havoc my father started years ago."

Cloud frowned now.

"Go on."

"Well, he stated he was looking for you, Yuffie, when he originally came to my office several weeks ago." Rufus started with a sigh. "After I had explained to him that I hadn't seen you and that Vincent was on a training mission in Corel, Nicoli changed tactics and asked me if I knew anything more about what had caused Sephiroth to go completely insane. From there, I could only assume he was trying to dig up information on Dr. Crescent and Professor Hojo's original experiment. However, if such information exists, and I am sure it does, I do not know what has happened to it. He didn't take kindly to my response and he warned me that if I got involved, he would make sure that we would not win a second time. It was quite disturbing, actually."

Yuffie felt an odd chill run through her blood as she remembered what Vincent had said about Nicoli already possessing a demon. She bit her lip as Rufus sighed again.

"Of course I don't know what good it would do him. The materials needed to procure something like Sephiroth are hard to obtain if impossible, now." Rufus said turning to look at Yuffie and Cloud. "He's wasting his time and foolish to believe that there won't be a war if he even attempts it."

"I think that is what he wants." Cloud said with his eyes narrowed. "As unfortunate as that is. . ."

"Indeed." Rufus agreed as he furrowed his brow.

He shook his head quickly and smiled.

"But, I have a feeling that he believes I do not have what he seeks, so I think you will be safe here, Yuffie, until Vincent returns."

Yuffie smiled meekly.

"Thank you, Rufus."

"My pleasure." Rufus replied looking at Cloud. "I do believe you accompanied her to make sure I did as I promised, am I right, Cloud?"

Cloud made another noise and shifted his weight.

"Old habits die hard." he replied.

Rufus smiled and motioned to Vox and Rina.

"Vox, Rina, please take Yuffie to the room prepared for her."

"Yes, sir." Vox replied as Rina bowed her head beside him.

Rufus smiled again and looked at Yuffie.

"I have you on the mid level where Tseng and the others stay. Vox and Rina will be your personal Turk attendants when one of my original Four cannot. Feel free to roam about where you please, and if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask me. I will be sure to contact Reeve about your medical attention and about any information concerning Vincent."

"Thank you, again, Rufus." Yuffie said as Rufus stood up again and walked forward. "I don't want to be a burden."

"You are not a burden." Rufus said with a shake of his head.

He leaned against the cane in his hand and smiled.

"If anything, you will be another bright face here. It is terrible what happened in the past, and I feel you could do a lot of good for Wutai, Yuffie, but I would never want you to marry the man that walked into my office weeks ago. No. . .absolutely not."

Yuffie silently smiled back and turned to look at Cloud.

"I will follow." Cloud stated simply.

"I expect you will be checking in with us, Cloud?" Rufus asked as he followed behind Cloud and Yuffie.

"Until Vincent returns." Cloud replied as Vox opened the door and he and Rina stepped outside. "If anything happens, call the bar or my phone, whichever."

"I will, but I don't think we will have too much trouble." Rufus said as Cloud and Yuffie stepped outside the door.

Cloud frowned and looked at the man with a shake of his head.

"Do not underestimate Nicoli. I think there is more to him than we are giving him credit for."

"I will remember that." Rufus said seriously.

Yuffie tried to quell the churning in her stomach as she smiled.

Rufus, sensing her discomfort, smiled and shook his head.

"Don't worry, Yuffie. You will be safe here. Do try to get some sleep."

"I will, Rufus, thank you." Yuffie said with a small bow of her head.

As Vox and Rina led Cloud and Yuffie back to the elevator, Rufus sighed and shook his head.

"Vincent, what have you got in your head this time?"

With that, the Shinra leader quietly retreated back into his office and shut the door.

*****

"Are you sure you will be okay?"

Yuffie smiled reassured as she dug through the bag that Rina had placed in a white chair in the room Yuffie was to call her own.

"I will be lonely, but I will be okay. You have a wife and kids to get home to, Cloud. I am glad to know you guys are worried about me, though." the ninja said as she pulled several medicine bottles out of her bag. "After what I did at the reception, I thought you guys would hate me forever."

Cloud looked down at the ground with a frown.

"At first, all of us were upset. After you ran off, Godo was ruffled and talked with Nicoli the entire time and it became awkward. Tifa was hard to console and Vincent couldn't sit still. I, myself, wondered why you got so upset, but then I realized that an arranged marriage was not something you were expecting, and I knew you had no desire to get married, so I calmed down enough to make Tifa stop sobbing. We were all pretty surprised and shocked, but it wasn't until Vincent translated for us later what Godo had said. After that, we all felt horrible."

"Even Cid?" Yuffie asked as she stopped opening a bottle in her hand.

Cloud nodded.

"Even Cid." he said softly.

Yuffie raised an eyebrow and smiled a little as she opened her medicine and walked over to the large, fluffy bed and sat down on the white bedspread.

"Well," she said as she lifted a glass of water, "I guess that is a lot better off than I thought I'd be after all this time."

Cloud walked a little closer as Yuffie took her medicine.

"Yuffie, we never wanted you to run away. We never wanted you to really get hurt. When you left Wutai that night and never came back, all of us figured the worst, and no one knew what to do. If it hadn't been for Vincent convincing the rest of us that he would find you, all of us would be tearing this Planet up trying to do it. You may be an annoying, loud mouthed thief, but you are  _our_  annoying, loud mouthed thief."

Yuffie smiled.

"Thank you, Cloud. . .that makes me feel a lot better."

Cloud gave Yuffie a weak smile in return and nodded a little.

"You don't owe us anything, Yuffie. . .and we'll figure out what Nicoli is up to, so don't worry."

Yuffie sighed as she shook her head and looked around the beige colored room.

"I can't promise that. For  _any_  of you."

"I understand." Cloud said as he looked at Vox and Rina standing by the door.

He turned back to look at Yuffie.

"Get some rest. . .I do not know when one of us will be by. . .it may get suspicious if members of AVALANCHE are showing up at Shinra all of the time, but I guess I am a delivery boy, so I will check in when I can. I'll keep tabs on Vincent for you."

Yuffie smiled.

"Thank you, Cloud. I will." she said softly.

Cloud nodded and made his way to the door without another word. He gave the Turks standing there a warning glance before letting himself out and closing the door behind him.

Yuffie smiled at Vox and Rina and shook her head.

"You guys don't have to be so formal around me, it's really all right." she said gently, hoping to get Rina to warm up to her.

Vox seemed tested by this offer of gratitude and smiled, his ice blue eyes lighting up.

"Did you really work with the members of AVALANCHE?" he asked with a bit of excitement.

Yuffie nodded.

"I did more to steal their materia, but I guess I ended up helping." she said with a grin. "Vincent and I were add ons to the original team."

Vox grinned.

"Commander Valentine is an excellent marksman. I was the best shot in the entire base unit until he heard about it and challenged me. Man, I have never seen anybody reload and fire faster."

"Vince is pretty slick with a gun, I'll give him that." Yuffie said with a nod. "But if you want to best him, you are better off challenging his melee."

Vox smiled.

"Really?"

Yuffie nodded again.

"He can strike hard, but hand to hand isn't his specialty."

"I will remember that." Vox said as his blue bangs fell into his face.

He looked down at Rina as she gently nudged him and shook her head quickly.

"I don't think she's going to tell on us, Rin." Vox said with a small sigh. "You worry too much."

Rina looked at Yuffie with narrow, green eyes before blushing and returning her gaze to the floor.

Yuffie shook her head and looked at them with worry.

"Rufus really isn't as scary as he looks. Neither are the other Turks. I am not going to tell on anybody."

"You'll have to forgive Rina." Vox said apologetically. "When she was recruited, she was badly abused. We were picked up in the same group, and for some reason she attached herself to me. Not that I mind though, right, Rin?" he asked grinning and playfully nudging the woman next to him.

Rina gave a weak half smile and shrug as she remained silent.

"Anyway, she doesn't say much to people. She doesn't say much to me either, but I understand her. Whatever happened in her past must have caused her a lot of pain, and I know pain. I just handled mine different, so I don't push her. The others have been a bit hard on her, but the Commanders are always understanding. This is a pretty big job for us, Yuffie, ma'am. . .our first alone."

"Well, congrats. . .I'm afraid I am not much to guard." Yuffie said with a small smile. "I'm not used to the Princess treatment."

Vox smiled.

"I understand. If there is anything we can do for you, however, let us know."

"I will, thank you." Yuffie replied with a small bow. "If anything, your company will be most appreciated."

"Ditto." Vox said with a nod. "We will be outside on guard, if you need something, just knock."

Yuffie nodded and watched with a shake of her head as the two, young Turks opened the door and quietly closed it behind them. She sighed softly and turned around to look at her surroundings. It was a small room, but it was elegant enough. There was a complete bath as well as a small sitting area with flowers set on the small coffee table. The sky outside the large window was starting to turn a dusky orange as the hours ticked away. Yuffie quietly went over to the window and looked out the glass at the Shinra compound and the forests in the distance. She winced as she put a hand against her side and leaned her head forward against the glass.

"I hope I gain a bit of my strength back before he finds me." the ninja breathed.

Her lavender grey eyes narrowed as her body ached terribly. A strange feeling of fatigue rushed over her as she frowned.

"What. . .?"

The feeling passed, but left a feeling of ill repute in its place as Yuffie slowly stood up straight. She worriedly lifted her shirt and looked at the healing wound in her side, but the wound was healing normally and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The ninja shook her head and looked up as her brow furrowed.

"I've never felt like that before. . ." she whispered to herself. "What  _was_  that?"

Yuffie squinted as the first rays of sunlight broke the horizon and came through the glass.

"Hrm. . .too early." she said with a groan as she slowly lifted her hands and pulled the curtains shut.

Even as she performed this action, her hands felt heavier somehow and when she had completed the task, she was exhausted. The ninja shook her head and painfully winced.

"What in the hell?" she whispered.

Again, the feeling passed, and Yuffie opened her eyes and frowned.

"I'm just tired." she said softly trying to calm her nerves. "I've had a lot of new experiences and stress in the last 24 hours. . .I'm just tired. . ."

As she slowly walked forward and pulled down the covers on the bed, a soft set of beeps echoed from the black bag in the white chair. Yuffie frowned again and cautiously walked over to the chair and picked her phone up out of her bag. She raised her eyebrow at the little envelope icon on the screen and opened the cover on the phone.

_"I love you. Go to sleep. I'll be back soon. -Vincent."_

Yuffie smiled as the warmth she often felt from Vincent filled her blood and calmed any unrest she had left. She slowly closed the cover on the phone and walked over to the bed with it in her hand. She carefully set it on the nightstand with her medicine and water glass as she eased herself under the covers and reached for the lamp switch. As darkness covered the room and the ninja settled herself to sleep, she smiled again.

"I know, Vince. You are always with me. . .always. . ."


	7. Crescendo

Vincent slowly opened his eyes and closed his phone as the WRO vehicle made its way across the deserted plains surrounding Midgar. He frowned and looked over at his driver as the sky continued to brighten.

"Don't look so upset, Vincent. You knew this was bound to happen sooner or later."

The yellow gold eyes of Shelke Rui flicked in the gunslinger's direction before returning to the road. Her auburn hair was longer now and was twisted in a bun at the back of her head. A bright, glowing mako sphere was at her side as her WRO uniform displayed her rank and her ID badge. She smiled a little before shaking her head.

"You haven't changed, Vincent Valentine. It's amazing how you refuse to give in to it."

Vincent frowned again and looked out the window with a narrow glare.

"Refuse to give in to  _what_ , Shelke?" he asked softly.

"Time."

Vincent turned and looked at the young woman with a small start. His stoic face remained passive as Shelke smiled again and shook her head. He watched her for a moment before turning away once more. He could not argue with Shelke there. In the few years after Deepground, Shelke had worked hard alongside Reeve Tuesti to counteract all of the experiments and torture done to her. It had been a painful reversal, but in two years, Shelke was starting to look more like the young woman she should have been several years ago. Though her physical attributes were finally catching up with her mental and emotional attributes, Reeve and the other scientists at WRO had not been able to reduce Shelke's dependence on mako. However, they had developed a way to recycle mako by recharging the mako sphere that Shelke already possessed.

Indeed, Shelke had made a significant change from what she was in Deepground to what she was today. Now, she was second in command under Reeve and was the prime Net Diver in the WRO. Vincent knew that the young woman was using the past against him as large, mountainous peaks appeared on the horizon. While she had finally given in to what could be changed, Vincent had refused. He still lived in the body that had been violated and refused to believe that anything could be done to change it.

It was sad, but that was the truth of it.

"Vincent, Reeve wanted me to ask you how Yuffie was before Cloud took her to Rufus."

Shelke's voice cut up through Vincent's thoughts and the gunslinger looked at her with a small frown.

"She was feeling all right." he responded softly. "She was extremely upset about me going through this again, but I don't think her injuries were affected."

Shelke nodded as she kept driving.

"Reeve was concerned about the change of environment on her health. He didn't think she would do well with you being gone so long. You  _have_  been her primary caregiver since her near death experience. She's had to rely on you while the rest of the world tries to hunt her down. The lack of your presence may have an adverse effect on her, and Reeve just wanted to be sure she would be all right."

"Which is why I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Vincent said closing his eyes irritably.

"Vincent, I do not know how long this will take." Shelke said carefully. "I had to dig deep into my subconscious to surface Lucrecia's memories on where she and your father originally found Chaos. I do not know exactly how she fused you with him to begin with, so it may be. . ."

"Painful. I know." Vincent finished as he opened his crimson eyes and sighed.

"It makes me curious, though." Shelke went on as though Vincent hadn't spoken. "Why would Chaos return to the same place Lucrecia found him?"

"Because he knew I would have to come back for him." Vincent said hatefully. "He knew that I would need him. Where else would he go to inflict pain and suffering?"

Shelke sighed softly and looked out at the mountains as they rose up beside the vehicle.

"Vincent, did you stop to consider that maybe you do not  _need_  Chaos as much as you are making it seem like you need him?"

"What?" Vincent asked looking at the woman next to him.

"What I mean is that you have gone through your life for two years living in the remains of the demon that caused you the most grief and now you are going after him because you feel you  _need_  to." Shelke said as she sighed again. "Perhaps it isn't a need that drives you back to this demon so much as a  _wanting_."

Vincent looked at Shelke with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you insinuating I  _want_  to have to deal with Chaos again?"

"I am not insinuating anything, Vincent. I am  _telling_  you that is what it is." Shelke replied as the vehicle started winding up and around one of the mountain ridges.

The vehicle continued moving until Shelke stopped it on a small plateau full of meadow grass and wild flowers. The wind was blowing gently as the sky became a bright blue. The engine died as Shelke slowly turned the key and sighed. She let her hands fall from the steering wheel as she vacantly stared out the windshield.

"Vincent," she began softly, "you are afraid of Nicoli, I know. I feel what he is, too. But you do not know what will happen if you call Chaos back. Perhaps Chaos is the one link that Nicoli needs to complete the scheme he's working on. Nicoli isn't a foolish bastard. He knows damn well that  _your_  body is the only one that can control Chaos without the help of the Protomateria. It takes a great deal of strength, but you had proved that you could do it when Deepground took the Protomateria from you the first time. But I have a feeling that what Nicoli wants is to provoke you into this decision. Something was leading up to this, and it was influenced by whatever is controlling Nicoli."

Shelke turned and looked at Vincent with a wince.

"He bested me, Vincent."

Vincent looked at the young woman with startled eyes.

"What?"

Shelke painfully returned her fingers to the steering wheel and bowed her head.

"He got into my databases." she answered softly. "He made it past my security net when I was recharging. Reeve only realized too late what was happening before he managed to shut the entire network down. I don't know exactly how much Nicoli got from the system before it shut down, but I do know that he got enough to formulate his own end of the world. He has the data on Chaos, Omega, and Sephiroth. He may have even seen the reports on Genesis before Reeve got to him. Naturally, he got away and denied Reeve's accusations that he tampered with the system. He hid behind Godo who defended him."

Shelke looked at Vincent with a shake of her head.

"He knows too much about what makes you and me and others like us weak."

Vincent looked at Shelke with shock before narrowing his eyes and glaring.

"Then I guess I will have to best him at his own game." he replied softly.

Shelke watched with a start as Vincent slowly opened the door and got out of the vehicle. She quickly followed suit and looked at Vincent's back as he began walking through the meadow. The dark blue skirt that she wore ruffled around her calves as she hurried to catch up to the gunslinger.

"Vincent, I think he wants a fight with Chaos. If he bests you as the strongest demon known to man, he can claim a power strong enough to replicate Sephiroth or even Genesis."

Vincent stopped and looked down at Shelke as she glared.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly.

"Think about it, Vincent." Shelke said with a frown. "The Protomateria was created from something you and Lucrecia shared. It was her desperation to save you that gave it form, and its power is not fully understood, even by  _you_. However, what you  _do_  know is that it is strong enough to sate a powerful demon and allow you to have control over your own body. It connects you directly to the source of power that makes Chaos the Squire to Omega, the Bringer of the End. It connects you to the Lifestream, Vincent."

Vincent took this in with as much calm as he could muster as the realization made sense.

The fact that he could not age and could not be killed proved what Shelke was saying. The sacrifice he made for the Planet as Chaos should have been what killed him off, but he managed to return to the Planet with his entire person in tact. He remained unchanged even after being in the essence of the Lifestream. It was true he did not fully understand what made the Protomateria special, but he knew that Lucrecia had wanted him to keep it with him. If what Shelke was saying was true, then Chaos wasn't the threat,  _he_ was. Then there was only one thing that still didn't make sense.

"What does he need with Yuffie and Wutai?" Vincent asked looking at Shelke with crimson irises blazing. "If he has everything he needs, and he knows what he lacks can be found inside of me, what does he need with a kingdom not known for anything except. . ."

Vincent's voice trailed off as Shelke looked up at him with a knowing countenance.

". . .except it's materia and military. . ." Shelke finished as Vincent closed his eyes and cursed softly.

She watched as Vincent turned away and hissed violently.

"With Wutai's resources at his disposal, and the heir to the throne at his side, he can have full right to rage war against anyone and have the muscle power to back it up. Not only that, but he would have access to the largest materia cache on the Planet save for Neo Shinra and the WRO. With that much power and with the knowledge he has stolen, he could easily create his own super soldiers."

Vincent glared down at the ground and tried to think clearly as the demons in his mind shifted through his consciousness.

**_"I warned you about this, my friend. I warned you what would happen if you didn't go after the bastard when you had the chance."_ **

Vincent tried to ignore the Galian Beast as the demon laughed from the back of his mind. There were too many variables. Nicoli's angle and the people involved didn't make sense. Even if what Shelke was saying was true, it didn't explain why Yuffie was so important to the equation.

Shelke, sensing Vincent's confusion, sighed and started walking forward.

"Yuffie is the last, remaining heir to the Wutai throne. Not only that, but she holds a power only known to certain females in the Kisaragi family."

Vincent looked at Shelke as she slowly passed him and continued walking up the jagged path that cut up into a mountain.

"A power?"

Shelke turned and looked back at Vincent.

"Yuffie never told you?"

Vincent shook his head.

Shelke seemed alarmed as her eyes narrowed.

"That is a bit unnerving." she said softly. "That means that she probably doesn't even know about the amount of power she can wield."

"What are you talking about, Shelke?" Vincent asked trying not to sound agitated.

"Yuffie's mother possessed a very special power." Shelke said stepping closer to Vincent and glaring. "The Queen of Wutai died because she refused to submit the power to a band of thieves when they tried to hold Yuffie hostage when she was just a little girl. Instead, she used it to the full extent of her spirit power and it extinguished her life. In depleting her share of the energy, the power automatically transferred to the queen's successor in full. Do you have any idea  _who_  that successor may have been, Vincent?"

"Yuffie." Vincent said softly as he remembered Yuffie crying about her mother in her sleep.

He looked at Shelke with a start.

"Is that why Godo blames Yuffie for his wife's death? Because Yuffie was held against her will and the queen refused to hand over this. . .this  _power_?"

Shelke shook her head.

"Vincent, listen to me. The Kisaragi clan has been passing this power down from female to female for hundreds of years. However, every once and a great while, one of these female wielders is born on the Cusp of the Signs and the power grows substantially. These Cusp Babies, as they are called, add to the power that has been growing for years. It is connected to the very spirits of all who have wielded it and the one that continues to wield it. Like your Protomateria, Vincent, this power is a connection to the Lifestream. It is powered by spirit and love. By sacrificing herself in order to save her daughter, the power grew of its own accord, and since the queen was one of these Cusp Babies, having been born on July 20th, the power was twice as strong when it was given to her successor, Yuffie.

"Godo never knew his daughter was part of a hostage situation because the thieves that tried to steal the power from the queen knew that only capable females of the Kisaragi clan could wield it. They stole Yuffie from the castle gardens where she was playing and sent word to the queen that they had her daughter. She didn't bother telling the Emperor because she knew what they wanted. When the choice came down to her daughter's life or her own, she did what any mother would have done."

"She sacrificed her own life." Vincent said softly as he looked down at the ground.

Shelke nodded.

Vincent thought about Shelke's story for a moment before shaking his head and looking at the young woman with a start.

"But, if Yuffie was in the castle gardens, and she was taken from there, why weren't the guards. . ."

Again, Vincent's eyes rose as Shelke nodded.

"You answered your own question yet again, Vincent." Shelke replied softly. "The thieves that took Yuffie were not any band of  _normal_  thieves. They were Royal Guards. . .and one of them was Nicoli's father."

"And Godo didn't figure any of this out?" Vincent asked incredulously.

"Think about it, Vincent." Shelke responded quietly. "Your wife is killed and your guards "coincidentally" bring your young daughter back with a story about how a band of thieves lured your daughter away and the queen came running to the rescue only to be killed in the struggle. Who are you going to believe? A sobbing two year old, or an army general?"

Vincent glared at the ground and fumed.

It made sense.

"Nicoli is finishing what his father started." he said softly. "With Yuffie he can assure a power that no one else is capable of wielding. Then, if he bests me, he can take the Protomateria from me and combine the two to make something much worse than Sephiroth. He's. . .he's completely thought this plan through."

"Except for the end." Shelke interjected.

"What?" Vincent asked suddenly.

Shelke cleared her throat with a shake of her head.

"I don't think he counted on you defending Yuffie or confessing your love for her. I don't think he believed you had it in you to love or even feel, Vincent. It comes back around to the whole, defying the pull of time thing I was talking about earlier. Not only that, but you inspire something inside of Yuffie. Her will is stronger when she knows you are with her. Therefore, by default, the power she doesn't even know she has grows stronger. That is what should bother you the most, Vincent."

Vincent waited for Shelke to explain as the thoughts in his head made his skull throb.

"The fact that Yuffie knows nothing of her own strength obviously means that she didn't study her history well enough, her father didn't tell her, and she has no idea how to properly wield it." Shelke responded simply. "Naturally, the way Godo let his daughter run wild signifies that she didn't take history seriously for a great deal of time and that the only parts she was encouraged to focus on were the ones concerning Wutai's proud, materia and military heritage. Convenient enough for Godo to exclude the lessons that killed her mother.

"However, Godo is marrying her off to someone who seeks to rule the country in a way that seems to run contrary to the current beliefs of everyone else. Not only that, but Nicoli is well schooled in matters concerning Wutai's welfare and its proper place in history. He knows exactly what Yuffie is capable of, and if  _you_  hadn't shown up and influenced her when you did, he may have very well broken her spirit and gotten what he wanted out of her."

Vincent looked up with fierce crimson eyes as Shelke nodded.

"A daughter that he could train to use the power of the Kisaragi clan as  _he_  saw fit."

Vincent forcefully collected his emotions and tried to quell the disturbing feeling in his stomach as the entire plot started stitching itself together from bitter beginning to terrifying end. As the magnitude of the situation settled upon the gunslinger, he looked up at Shelke.

"Shelke, you seem to know a lot about this spiritual energy that Yuffie is supposed to possess."

"I knew of the legend from the ancient texts we have been decoding at WRO." Shelke replied. "We are going through the Cetra legends as well and trying to piece together the past so we can prepare the future."

"You asked about how Yuffie was doing. Did you ask because of this power?" Vincent asked quietly.

Shelke was silent for a moment before nodding.

"Yes. That wound would have killed any other human, Vincent. You and I both know it. Normal people could not have withstood that. . .at least, not very damn many of them could have."

"Yuffie has always been that way though."

Vincent was surprised. He was being stubborn out loud and it was a foreign concept as Shelke sighed.

"She's been that way because she has possessed this power since birth. She's had the ability, she's just not been fully capable of using it yet." Shelke said softly. "If she hadn't had the power she does, she'd be dead already."

Vincent's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the ground. The unease in his stomach was starting to grow as he spoke.

"This power that you're talking about. . .you say it is connected to Yuffie's spirit?" he asked softly.

"If I understand the theory right, then, yes." Shelke replied carefully. "It is said that when the power is passed on, because there  _must_  be a successor, then the spirit of the one who has passed joins the others already connected to the power present. Like anything that connects the spirit world to this one, I am sure that whatever binds the Kisaragi power to this world binds itself to Yuffie."

"So, if that power were forced from her. . ."

". . .or if she gave it up, then I would only assume that she would begin to weaken." Shelke said softly. "She has lived her entire life with that power, even if she hasn't realized it. To have it taken from her forcefully, or even to be without it for an extended period of time would no doubt leave her in great danger. Not only that, but if someone were foolish enough to take it from her, it could cause a horrible backlash of energy. That is why no one has been crazy enough to take it. That is why Nicoli needs Yuffie. She's the only one that can safely control it and pass it on."

Vincent's heart began to race as a horrible thought crossed his mind.

"Is this power tangible, Shelke?"

Shelke frowned.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning, does it pass on through something like materia, or a charm, something like that?" Vincent asked looking at her through narrow eyes.

Shelke was surprised by this question and deliberated for a moment before responding.

"I am not sure, Vincent. I have only studied this strength of the Kisaragi clan in theory, not actuality. Why? Do you have a reason to believe it does?"

Shelke's eyes rose as Vincent looked at her with pain.

"Vincent. . .what. . ."

"Yes, Vincent, what  _indeed_."


	8. Allegro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't noticed yet, all of the chapters are named after Musical Notations. x)

Vincent whirled around and drew his weapon as the cold, familiar voice filled his ears. His eyes narrowed hatefully as Nicoli smiled from across the meadow. Shelke hissed from behind Vincent and made to draw her energy sabers until Nicoli shook his head and held up his hand.

"I don't think  _that_  will be necessary, Miss Rui."

Shelke made a soft noise in her throat as a painful, paralyzing feeling ran through her body. Her hands tightened up and clenched into fists so tight that blood began to trickle from her palms. She painfully glared and looked at Vincent as the gunslinger turned and looked at her with a start.

"He's. . .he's a mind bender." Shelke hissed hatefully.

Vincent's eyes widened a little as Nicoli laughed softly behind him. The gunslinger turned with a glare as Nicoli slowly lowered his hand and Shelke fell to her knees gasping.

"Come now, Vincent. I had hoped it would have been obvious the first time we met one another." Nicoli said as he began walking toward Vincent. "At that wretched brat's wedding several weeks ago, you knew exactly what I was, didn't you? Then, almost three days after that wedding, you  _did_  have me on the run. I thought for sure I was going to fall to that gangly beast you call a demon. But you surprised me, Vincent."

Vincent glared as Nicoli's eyes changed to a violent purple and Nicoli stopped in front of him.

Nicoli grinned.

"You found your heart in that wretched body and you went back for Yuffie instead. It worked out perfectly, however. You saved what I needed and I blamed the whole mess on you. Simple enough task for someone like me."

"Only because you were manipulating everyone." Vincent hissed softly as Shelke painfully picked herself up off the ground. "That is why Godo is letting you run the show. He doesn't have a choice."

Nicoli "tsk, tsked" in his throat.

"Now, Vincent, I hardly think  _that_  is fair." he said with a frown

Vincent glared at Nicoli before looking down at Shelke with a frown.

"Are you all right, Shelke?"

"I'm fine." Shelke replied glaring at Nicoli. "That is how you broke my security net, too. Isn't it, you bastard? You are a demon capable of manipulating the minds of others if their will is weak."

Nicoli smirked.

"Come now, Miss Rui," he said softly, "that knowledge belongs in the hands of someone capable of using it properly."

"And you think  _you're_  the one able to do that?" Vincent hissed.

"Of course I do." Nicoli said with a nod. "The problem with this Planet is that everyone has their  _own_  ideas about what should be done to unify everyone. Everyone has their own legends, and everyone is living life under their own pretenses. It makes things difficult and with difficulty comes war and destruction. I have a better solution to the whole thing: combine everything. Things like materia, mako, WRO's new resource plan, and even things as religious as Yuffie's unique abilities would all be brought together under my plan. There would be complete and total unity."

"As long as that unity was maintained under  _you_ , right, Nicoli?" Vincent asked.

Nicoli grinned with razor sharp teeth gleaming.

"Naturally."

"You cannot bring those forces together, Nicoli." Shelke said painfully. "Things like the Protomateria and the Kisaragi power can only be used by the people they were created for. . .combining them with anything could destroy everything in the Universe. Didn't you learn  _anything_  from the research you stole? Didn't your  _father's_  failures teach you anything?"

"Very clever, Miss Rui, and I  _did_  learn quite a bit from what I stole from you, thank you for asking." Nicoli replied with a smirk. "Unfortunately, my father lacked vision. He was only looking at the small picture. He thought he  _could_ control what I know can only be controlled by Yuffie and her offspring. However, you both have done an excellent job at figuring out what I am going to do. Save for one thing, however. . .and that would explain how I came to follow you both  _here_  wouldn't it?"

Vincent's heart was racing as a dark, cold feeling passed through him.

Nicoli's eyes narrowed as he grinned wickedly.

"I do not seek a fight with Chaos. Though it would be entertaining to pit brawn against brains, I simply do not have time for it. Regardless of if you do or do not take Chaos, Vincent, I have already used you for the last part of my plan."

Vincent shook as he lifted Cerberus.

This wasn't happening. . .it wasn't going to happen. . .

"You see, Miss Rui, when I went to see the son of the greatest Shinra failure of all time, he reminded me of the fact that there was one thing I lacked when recreating a soldier like Genesis or Sephiroth." Nicoli said as he turned away from Vincent and started pacing. "It was completely irritating when I realized that all of my planning and hard work would soon go to waste because the cells I needed no longer existed. And then when I was about to go and do something foolish, like settle for a kingdom instead of an entire planet, I realized that there was one, very important thing I had forgotten."

"Nicoli!" roared Vincent with hatred. "Stay  _away from her_!"

Nicoli grinned and looked at Vincent as a dark shadow passed over the meadow.

"Just as your foolishness led me to Yuffie, your stupidity has led me to the one, remaining soul with live JENOVA cells."

Shelke gasped and shook her head with a start.

"No!"

Vincent was shaking uncontrollably now as his normally passive eyes were a blazing gold color.

"Leave her alone." he hissed with as much calm as he could muster.

Nicoli sighed and shook his head.

"Where  _do_  your loyalties lie, Vincent?" he asked softly. "Would it kill Yuffie to see you defending a woman that helped turn you into what you are today?"

Vincent painfully winced as a darkness passed through Nicoli's eyes. A burning feeling started to spread through his blood as thunder rumbled in the distance..

**_"You are stronger than this, Vincent. This cannot be helped. Trust in what cannot be helped. . .it will be all right. This is the one time you need to trust in what needs to be done."_ **

Galian Beast's voice was calm and strong at the back of his mind as Nicoli glared with agitation.

"Your friend is proving to be more of a nuisance than he's worth, Vincent."

"I will remember to pass on the message to the next psychotic scientist that experiments on my body." Vincent replied with a glare as he kept Cerberus trained on Nicoli.

Nicoli frowned with irritation as Shelke shook her head again.

"You cannot take JENOVA cells from Lucrecia Crescent." she said hatefully. "Her body is no more alive than it is dead! She is stuck in pure mako energy. If you even attempted to disrupt it, you could damage the entire mako field in that cave! Not only that, but she  _tried_  killing herself years ago. That's why she's  _there_  in the first place!"

"My dear, Miss Rui," Nicoli said with a sigh, "you fail to see my lack of concern for the woman that should have known better than to mess in the affairs of demons and higher life forms than herself. Furthermore, you are also forgetting that I, myself, am a powerful being and I will destroy that cavern with as much chaos and destruction as I can manage. This is besides the fact that I am very well aware of Lucrecia's previous problems in destroying her own life. I suppose she should have tried what I am going to do to her now."

Shelke gasped as Nicoli smiled hatefully.

"Murder."

He stopped and looked at Vincent with amusement as the gunslinger blocked his path to the cave and glared.

"You cannot stop me this time, Vincent. I'm afraid your worth to me has run its course and if you do not get out of my way, I will be forced to kill you."

"Go into that cave, and I promise you, you will not live long after." Vincent hissed softly ignoring Nicoli completely.

Nicoli smiled as his eyes narrowed.

"An idle threat from a man who has not killed any of the enemies he has sought revenge upon, Vincent."

Vincent's eyes rose with shock as a large piece of slate struck his back and went straight through the left side of his body. A sudden loss of air made the gunslinger gasp a little as Cerberus lowered from its target and Vincent wobbled on his feet.

Nicoli smiled triumphantly as the gunslinger looked down at the large spike of rock in his chest and watched blood slowly seep from the gaping wound. As Vincent's eyes returned to his, he grinned.

"I will take every, single thing you love, Vincent Valentine, and I will crush it. Just as I have you."

Vincent gasped for air as his vision swam before his eyes. He shook his head as Nicoli moved out from in front of him. He winced painfully as he heard Shelke.

"You son of a bitch! You'll destroy  _everything_!"

Vincent heard Shelke cry out as Nicoli fired a shot and pierced the woman in the chest. The gunslinger closed his eyes and tried to remain upright as Nicoli glared.

Nicoli lowered his weapon and looked at Shelke as she fell to the ground and rolled a little before coming to a stop at the foot of the path where Vincent and Nicoli stood.

"Not nearly as strong as she used to be." Nicoli whispered hatefully as he moved Shelke's body with his foot. "She shunned the gift that was so gracefully bestowed upon her and she got what she deserved."

Vincent painfully stumbled as Cerberus finally fell out of his hand and clattered to the ground. The gunslinger's hands rose to the spike in his chest as he slowly fell to his knees. He looked up at Nicoli as Nicoli stood over him.

"There is no retribution for us, Vincent." Nicoli said softly, his purple eyes gleaming. "If you did anything right, it was to accept that and your fate to roam this world alone and ridden with pain. I commend you for that, Vincent Valentine, I really do. But now, now it is time for the true power holders to rise to their rightful spots under the gods. With the last, living JENOVA cells, I'll be able to make sure that happens. But it doesn't work without  _her_ , Vincent."

Vincent hissed and turned his head away as Nicoli forcefully grabbed the shoulders of his mantle and yanked up on them.

Nicoli glared with hatred.

"It doesn't work without that little brat, Vincent. I need her and the power she has. My father almost had it from her self righteous mother, but instead of handing it over, she decides to be a martyr for the cause. Yuffie has no idea that she wields this power because my father convinced Godo not to train Yuffie in its ways. He had the same idea I do, except he got soft as he got older. He failed to see it through and when he tried to convince me to go straight after years of  _his_  torture, I gave him what he deserved, too.

"Yuffie is my masterpiece in the making. She is the key to this entire plan and she will play her part. . .even if I have to  _force_  her."

Vincent turned and looked at Nicoli with a horrendous glare as blood started trickling out the corner of his mouth.

"Unfortunately, Vincent, you have done a very good job at using  _your_  contacts against mine. In doing so, you have not only hindered my plan, but you have kept its key player hidden away from me. Now I am giving you the chance to tell me where Yuffie is, or I will tear this Planet apart and kill everyone in it because you  _don't_  tell me where she is. Do you understand me?" Nicoli hissed.

Vincent closed his eyes for a moment before looking up at Nicoli with a fierce, golden glare.

Nicoli roared with pain and jumped back as Vincent's gauntlet came up and struck him. Deep trails of blood fell from the right side of Nicoli's face as he staggered backward.

Vincent fell to his side as Nicoli retaliated and slammed a fist into his face. From the darkness clouding his mind, Vincent felt Galian Beast laughing softly. The gunslinger lay quiet as Nicoli continued ranting about how the world would suffer because of his stupidity. As Nicoli stumbled from his vision, Vincent painfully closed his eyes and gasped for breath.

**_"It was a close one, but I think it will be all right now."_ **

Vincent's eyes narrowly opened as a bright, glittering light erupted from beside the rock spike sticking out of his chest. From under his flesh and the cloak that surrounded the gunslinger appeared the strange, white Protomateria.

Vincent was startled as another, warmer feeling joined the Protomateria causing the red and blue colors inside of the materia to change and fuse to a bright lavender color. The gunslinger tried to maintain his consciousness as he slowly felt for the charm that Yuffie had given to him earlier.

_"My mother gave me this when I was born. . . it must be important because my father keeps asking me if I have it. . .helps me feel connected. . ._

_". . .imagine that you were dying. . .and this was the only thing you had to live on. . ."_

"Yuffie!"

Vincent's eyes came open as the Protomateria shone brighter and the pain in his chest lifted slightly. His body still refused to move, but as he lay there, the gunslinger could feel Yuffie's presence with him. Her words about the charm she had given him echoed in his head as his fingers grasped the small orb in his pocket.

This was the Heir's Right. What he now possessed was the power that Nicoli so desperately sought. Yuffie, without even realizing it, had possessed what could make or break everything going on right at that very moment. And, in turn, in giving it up, had given her entire being to the gunslinger without a conscious thought to herself.

**_". . .we're a part of each other whether we like it or not. . .I think those were your exact words, weren't they, my friend?"_ **

Vincent's eyes closed painfully as he grasped the orb tighter and tears started forming under his eyes. Galian Beast laughed softly from the folds of Vincent's conscious as the gunslinger started to tremble. The Protomateria shone brighter as a hand tugged on Vincent's mantle.

"Vincent. . .you have to get  _up_."

In Vincent's blurred vision, and through the quaking that had begun to fill the earth, the gunslinger made out Shelke's form as she peered down at him.

He winced.

"Shelke. . ."

Shelke painfully held herself up as blood seeped from the bullet wound in her chest. She shook her head as she looked at Vincent.

"You have to get up there and stop him. . .if anything, get Chaos out of there, because if he destroys Lucrecia's grave, he destroys the Lifestream access there. He destroys Chaos, and in turn destroys any hope of controlling or stopping Omega in the future." she said with a frown. "You have to get Chaos. . ."

"What about. . ." Vincent painfully gasped for air before shaking his head. ". . .Lucrecia. . ."

Shelke frowned again.

"If what Nicoli says is true and he takes the JENOVA cells, she may finally get the wish she so desired years ago when she forced Chaos upon you and lost her son. Consider it repetenance for all she's done and be happy with it, Vincent. This is where you must make the decision about your destiny. It forks with her. . .

". . .it begins where  _she_  ends. . ."

Vincent's eyes came open with a start as everything finally clicked and the pain in his chest lifted. He glared as the Protomateria glowed brighter.

**_"Go get that bastard, Vincent, and tell him he owes us for keeping your ass in line. . ."_ **

A different, harsher voice filled Vincent's head as the gunslinger pulled away from Shelke and slowly lifted himself up. The gunslinger's eyes were a fiery gold color and a renewed strength poured from him as the Protomateria struck a beam of light through the area. He frowned and slowly raised his hands to the spike in his chest. He winced as his fingers grasped the obstruction.

**_"NOW, VINCENT."_ **

Shelke gasped with shock as Vincent roared with pain and yanked the spike clean out of his chest. A gentle spray of blood hit the grass beneath the gunslinger as Vincent staggered a little and held the bloody spike in his hands. Shelke trembled as Vincent breathed heavily and slowly threw the spike into the grass nearby. She remained silent as the gunslinger slowly stumbled forward and picked Cerberus up from the ground. He holstered the weapon and glared as he turned to look at Shelke.

"Get hold of Reeve. Tell him what is happening. . .and go back to base before you bleed to death." he said in his familiar stoicism.

Shelke shook her head to bring herself out of the terrified trance she was in as Vincent turned away and started walking up the path again.

"Vincent, what are you going to do?" she asked painfully.

Vincent stopped and turned to her with a frown. The Protomateria was slowly moving down to fill in the hole in his chest as the gunslinger's eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to face my destiny."

Shelke watched with a start as the gunslinger turned away a second time and began stumbling up the mountain path. She watched for a few seconds until the ground started shaking violently again and light was pouring from the cavern where Lucrecia Crescent rested. She shook her head and painfully brought her hand to her chest for a moment before pulling herself to her feet and staggering toward the WRO vehicle still sitting across the meadow. She fell only once before making it back.

She painfully pulled the door open and eased herself inside before slumping over and gasping for breath. She painfully winced and looked down at the floorboards as she caught her breath and eased herself back against the seat. Her consciousness was slipping from her as she painfully reached for a button on the dashboard. As soon as a little red light was blinking, Shelke reached up and slid her right hand into her pocket. Blood covered her fingers and was soaking the front of her shirt as she closed her eyes and pulled out her cell phone. Shelke gasped softly and dialed the number she knew by heart. After a few rings, the worn, familiar voice she loved to hear filled the receiver.

"Reeve Tuesti, here."

"Reeve. . .it's Shelke. . ."

Reeve's voice changed instantly as the red light went constant on the dash.

"Shelke! What's happened?"

Shelke laughed softly and winced as it became harder to breathe.

"He followed us, Reeve. . .he's. . .he's going after the JENOVA cells still inside of Lucrecia."

"What! My God, that. . .that is _crazy_!" Reeve cried.

"I know." Shelke said as she leaned against the driver side window and gasped. "I know. . ."

"How!"

Shelke winced as she shifted her body.

"He's a mind bender demon, Reeve. . .he's a demon. . ."

Reeve was silent for a few seconds before answering.

"Where is Vincent, Shelke? Your vehicle just registered on the Emergency Board and we are tracking you now." Reeve said trying to mask his worry.

Shelke smiled. He was finally starting to worry about her. That made her happy.

"Nicoli tried impaling him with a rock spike, but his demons must be more cooperative now over the years and he . . . he's gone after Nicoli to retrieve Chaos."

"Vincent's injured?" Reeve asked.

Shelke knew what was coming next and that Reeve was trying to gain an understanding of the bigger picture so she smiled and nodded as her eyes closed.

"Yes. . .and the Protomateria is active again. . .not only that, but I think that Yuffie may be in grave danger."

"What? How? Nicoli doesn't know where she is, does he?" Reeve asked.

"No. . .but he will. . ." Shelke breathed. ". . .I think that Yuffie. . .may have given the Kisaragi power to Vincent without realizing it. . .Vincent has it. . ."

Reeve was silent for a moment as Shelke heard orders being shouted in the background. She painfully kept her fingers wrapped around the phone as she trembled.

"Shelke. . ."

"Yes, Reeve?"

"How badly are you injured?"

Shelke smiled a little and opened her eyes as they started to fade to a bright, lapis color.

"Bullet wound, left side of my chest. It's bleeding badly, but I don't think it hit anything that can't be fixed." she whispered softly. "But I am running out of blood, and I am getting tired, Reeve. I am about to drop this phone."

"Shelke, I am coming after you, do you hear me?"

Reeve's voice was feigning strength as Shelke smiled again and let her eyes close.

"Hurry, Reeve, please. . ."

"Shelke?"

Shelke painfully inhaled and let her hand fall from her ear as her phone clattered to the floorboard. Her body slumped forward as her blood covered phone shouted up at her from her feet.

"Hold on, Shelke. Don't you  _dare_  think about dying, do you hear me!  _I am coming to get you, Shelke!_   _Hang ON_!"

Shelke smiled as she fell against the driver side door again.

"It. . .never. . .crossed my mind. . .Reeve. . ."

With that, the young woman fell silent. From the dashboard, the red light slowly turned green as the phone cut out beneath it.


	9. Bellicoso

The air was full of sparks and light as Vincent staggered into the cavern. The gunslinger shielded his eyes and glared as he watched Nicoli standing in front of Lucrecia Crescent with his hands raised. The wind howling through the cave was deafening as the pools around the woman were beginning to turn black. Vincent lowered his hand as he watched the mako begin to crack from the strain Nicoli was putting on it.

"Can you feel it, Vincent?" Nicoli yelled as he turned and glared with neon purple eyes blazing. "It is the wind of change."

Vincent glared hatefully.

Nicoli grinned.

"I did figure it would take more than a rock to kill you, Vincent." he said with his eyes narrowed. "That is why I waited for you to show before finishing her."

Vincent did not have time to react as Nicoli threw his hands down in one, swift motion. As he did, a horrendous shattering sound echoed through the cavern. The gunslinger watched as the mako crystals surrounding Lucrecia Crescent exploded and went flying through the cavern. He remained motionless for all of about two seconds before roaring hatefully and lurching forward.

Nicoli laughed relentlessly as Vincent braved the mako striking his skin and made his way toward the woman falling to the spiked crystal below. As the smaller crystals hit the mako pools surrounding the area where Lucrecia Crescent rested, Vincent felt his body being restrained by a stronger force. It was as if he had hit an invisible wall and he was stuck inside of it. He gasped suddenly and shook his head as Nicoli continued to laugh.

The gunslinger watched with horror as Lucrecia's body hit the floor of the cavern with a sickening thud. His crimson eyes were wide as tears slowly fell from them. His heart ached painfully in his chest as he watched the ruby red pool begin to form around the pale, unmoving body of his first love.

"Luc. . .Lucrecia. . ."

Vincent closed his eyes and lowered his head with pain as he shook uncontrollably.

_". . .you're late. . ."_

"Lucrecia. . ."

_". . .it is not flesh and bone that make us, Vincent. It is the heart and soul that run them. . .you are made of him, Vincent. You make **him** "_

"Lucrecia!"

_"Remember that. . .and thank you, Vincent. . .thank you so much. . ."_

Vincent's eyes came open and narrowed into a fierce glare as Nicoli continued to restrain him. A horrible, familiar feeling of anger began to fill him as Nicoli walked forward and collected some of the blood that had been spilled across the mako crystals surrounding Lucrecia. His eyes began to glow as the Protomateria took on a reddish lavender tint. As Nicoli turned around, the feeling inside the gunslinger was clear.

Nicoli glared as Vincent stood up and roared with his arms outstretched. He watched as the mako pools rose upward and began fusing to Vincent's body.

"So, this is the destiny you choose?" he hissed as he looked down and pocketed the vial of blood he had just stolen.

The roar of the wind and Vincent's cries were all that answered him as fierce light and fire came from the transformation taking place in front of him. Black flames licked a purple glow as the mako surrounding Vincent caused the entire cavern to tremor violently. A deep rumbling filled the entire mountain as rock began to clatter to the mako covered floor.

Nicoli looked up with hateful, purple eyes as a pair of jagged, black and purple wings suddenly shot out from his back. His hair turned a bright shade of blonde as the blue veins in his wings shimmered in their leathery sleeves. The demon waited patiently as two beady, golden eyes appeared from the mess of black mako and debris. As the mako pulled away in black, sinewy strands, Nicoli's eyebrows raised and his posture changed instantly.

The last of the mako pulled from a form that strongly resembled everything that had been the Squire of Omega before. However, instead of red, black, and dark colors, the form of Chaos stood with brighter shades of red intertwined with shades of violet and blue. His wings rose more gracefully and instead of being red throughout, each section had purple and indigo splotches at the frayed ends. Instead of gold armor, silver plating covered much of Chaos's chest, legs, and feet. It gleamed in the light that radiated from the Protomateria shining from the left side of the demon's chest.

Inside the glowing sphere, bright, lavender light was chasing red sparks. Chaos's headdress was smaller and did not hide either of the bright, golden eyes peering at Nicoli with hatred. The silver armor around Chaos's wrists, forearms, and hands made no noise as the demon lowered his arms and frowned. The gauntlet that usually appeared on Chaos's left arm had been replaced with an odd looking bracer that shimmered with its own radiance. However, the most startling of all of the changes, was that next to the Protomateria, where a human's heart would rest, was a small, glowing light nestled in a protective shield of mako and silver.

Nicoli's eyes rose with a start before melting into a glare as Chaos looked at him hatefully.

"You are foolish to return to this place." he said staring at Chaos with a frown. "There is nothing left for you here."

 _"I had some unfinished business that needed tending to."_  came Chaos's somewhat re-recorded version of Vincent's voice.  _"I had been curious to see if anyone would be stupid enough to try what you have."_

Nicoli smirked.

"I hardly call it stupidity, Chaos. I merely use history as a tool to prevent future mistakes."

 _"History is what **makes**  future mistakes."_ Chaos said hatefully.  _"That is why I exist. Demons, gods, humans, alike. . .all of you seek to create something bigger and better and for the most part, it moves your wretched lives onward. Yet once and awhile there are those like **you**  that think that you need something just a little better than the rest and you go and do something  **stupid**. It is that very same stupidity that requires those like me to clean up the mess and give you sorry souls another chance just so you can live to destroy again. Because you don't  **learn**  from history. You just use it to make the same mistakes over again."_

Nicoli shook his head as his wings rose.

"Only the capable should exist, Chaos. Obviously Vincent Valentine shows that capability for you because you, like the other 'sorry souls' in this world, have gone back to where your history is strongest. Well spoken, my friend. Very well, indeed."

 _"Vincent Valentine did not have a choice and neither did I."_ Chaos said hatefully.  _"But in the end what was done to him and forced upon us worked out to our advantage. . .and your disadvantage, I'm afraid."_

"Oh, no, you see, that is where I think you are wrong, Chaos." Nicoli said as he slowly lifted into the air.

Rock and debris continued to fall into the cavern as the mako instability caused a chain reaction inside the mountain.

"Your only purpose on  _this_  planet was to bring forth the coming of the Destructor. Your job was to be Omega's pet and clear its path for the Reckoning. By going noble the last time you were called to duty, you have no purpose now. Even,  _I_  know that you scattered Omega to the wind nearly two years ago."

Chaos looked up at Nicoli with a glare.

_"I am warning you, mind bender. . .you have no idea what kind of power you are fooling with. Choose to challenge me or what is left of my strength, and I vow, your own horns won't be left to mourn your remains."_

Nicoli laughed as a bright, purple aura surrounded him.

"Like I told Vincent, Chaos," he said as he ascended upward, "idle threats from someone who has not gotten revenge on  _any_  of his enemies."

Chaos's eyes narrowed as Nicoli laughed wildly and shot up through the crumbling rocks of the mountain.

 _"Then you accept my challenge, mind bender."_ he said softly.

The demon frowned again and looked over to where Lucrecia's body still lay. He slowly looked off to the side before closing his eyes and turning away. Mako and rock did not touch him as he walked out of the main chamber and made it down the pathway to the outside. The sunlight made his body glitter as the rays caught the mako chips embedded in his armor and his skin. Chaos slowly turned around and watched as the cavern that had once held him and his discoverer crumbled back into the earth.

 _"Rest in peace, Lucrecia."_ Chaos said with a solemn frown.  _"You finally got what you wanted after all. . ."_

The demon turned away as the orb in his chest shimmered brightly. The Protomateria reacted to this and turned a vibrant shade of lavender as Chaos looked down at the meadow. He painfully winced as a sharp pain shot up his right arm and into his chest. As the pain came a second time, the demon fell to his knees and groaned softly. His form waivered between that of Vincent and himself as he gasped.

 _"Give it time. . .we. . .aren't **we**  yet. . ." _Chaos breathed hatefully.

**_"Yuffie's in danger. I do not have time for this."_ **

Chaos laughed as Vincent's voice echoed from within him.

 _" **You**  don't have time for this? My friend, we are only alive and fused  **because**  of that power the Kisaragi princess let you borrow."_ he said breathlessly.

**_"What?"_ **

_"Nicoli is right about one thing, Vincent: I cannot exist in a world without a purpose. And as annoying as that little bastard is, he is not my problem. My purpose, in this form, on **this planet** , was to be the Squire to the Omega. I am the Harbinger of Death. I did not plan on your scientists finding me. I didn't think Lucrecia would be so stupid as to think she could fuse you and I together; but by either strange luck or odd coincidence, you survived with  **me**  intact. I did not count on that. I did not think a human and I would fuse, but we did, and now I cannot exist in this world without you."_

**_"Explain."_ **

_"It's as simple as cloning, Vincent. I have what makes you, and you cannot fill the void of **your** life without me in it."_ Chaos said as he looked out at the rest of the mountains.  _"As myself, I have no purpose. You used me to destroy Omega and send it back to the Planet. With your own strength, you sent me back to the Lifestream, too. But I am drawn to you, Vincent. You already knew I would find my way back because our time together is permanent. You still aren't aging, and your body still carries my scars. It makes you bitter every time you fall asleep. That is why I plague your nightmares. That is why you **need**  me._

_"As a demon, I have nothing more to give this place. I can't! My form does not exist without YOU, anymore. And since I **am**  you, Vincent, I carry on  **your** purpose and  **your**  will. You want to save Yuffie Kisaragi. You have confessed your love for her, and you will do anything to protect her. Because of her deeply rooted love for you. . .that has been constant, mind you, since before all this. . .she gave you a very rare gift that she, herself, had no idea about._

_"Instead of hate, instead of darkness, this form that has fused me to you yet again, was made out of love and devotion. My purpose is the purpose you set before us."_

Vincent was silent as Chaos slowly looked down at the meadow through narrowed eyes.

 _"Your friend is dying."_ he said softly.

**_"Shelke. . ."_ **

_"Ah, the one that dug up Lucrecia's memories."_  Chaos said nodding as he lowered his head and let the sun fall across his body.  _"She'll be all right."_

**_"Will she?"_ **

_"Your friend, Reeve, is almost here."_  Chaos responded as the Protomateria started to calm itself.

He looked back at the crumbled cave and winced before a bright flash shot through him. From the settling mako sparks and beams of lavender white light, Vincent Valentine slowly opened his crimson eyes and looked down at the ground. His long, black hair fell over his shoulder as blood slowly ran from cuts on his cheeks and the wound in his chest. The Protomateria shimmered brightly from where the rock spike had been stuck through him, but the wound was still severe. As Vincent's gauntlet fell from his raised knee, the Kisaragi talisman swung gently from in between his fingers. The sun danced through the strange, swirling matter inside the orb as the Protomateria's light turned a bright lavender before embedding itself into the depths of Vincent's chest.

Vincent held onto the talisman with a painful wince as his vision blurred in front of him. He painfully felt the sickness in his body grow worse as his breath quickened. There was a horrible feeling in the air and Vincent knew that Nicoli would soon make good on his promise as the gunslinger fell to his side on the ground.

Clouds moved across the blue sky as Vincent slowly rolled onto his back and looked up with a wince.

"I make you. . ." he whispered softly.

 _"Hatred didn't make us enemies, Vincent."_  Chaos said from the darkness of Vincent's conscious.  _"It was your bitterness that made us enemies."_

Vincent closed his eyes and painfully took a breath as he tightly held Yuffie's survival in his hand.

"I have to save her." he breathed. "It is her life over mine."

**_"And you may get your wish if you keep it up."_ **

Galian Beast's voice rose up next to Chaos's with a small laugh causing Vincent to open his eyes again.

"Were any of us really enemies, then?" he asked.

 _"There wasn't a we until you accepted **us**." _ Chaos replied softly.  _" **We**  were the ones intruding. We were a deranged psychopath’s experiment on what used to be a normal, human body. I'm sorry for what happened to you, Vincent, but it was not a choice we would have made ourselves. Just as you feel we were pushed on you, we feel that we could have done better without  **you**. It was your anger toward your creator, and the pain from your betrayer that caused us to hate one another. It was that anger that caused all of us to be unpredictable and fierce. Hatred only breeds hatred. It was your hatred that influenced us. We have always acted on  **your**  will, Vincent. Think about it. When you finally realized how futile your hatred was and you made your resolution to stop Omega and save this Planet, you did it. . .and you took control over all of us. . .even me. Even without the Protomateria Lucrecia Crescent gave you to shield your remaining flesh from my influence you managed to overcome._

_"So, if you are truly dedicated to Yuffie Kisaragi, then you **will**  save her._

_"Our will is **your**  will, Vincent. Leave the mind bender to me. . ."_

Vincent heard squealing tires below him and slowly turned his head as he heard doors slamming. He watched with a wince as blood started oozing out the side of his mouth again. He tried to calm his breathing as his conscious started slipping from him.

"Yuffie. . .I am coming home. . .I promise. . .I'm. . ."

As Vincent fell unconscious, Chaos shifted from the darkness of Vincent's conscious and into his subconscious. He watched over the gunslinger as he listened to the commotion going on down in the meadow below.

_"Look up, old friend."_

Reeve Tuesti stumbled a bit as he ran toward Shelke's vehicle with two other WRO soldiers.

"Commander, it could be a trap." one of the soldiers said as Reeve moved toward the bloody, driver's side door of the vehicle.

Reeve looked at the soldier with a glare.

"Go investigate the cavern up the path. Look for Vincent, do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir!" both soldiers replied as they drew their weapons and took off across the meadow.

Reeve painfully returned to his previous task and tried to keep his heart from jumping out of his chest as he looked at the bloody window. His breathing quickened as he reached for the blood smeared door handle and pulled the door open.

He quickly lunged forward and caught Shelke Rui as her body fell toward him. He gasped as Shelke's bloody hand fell from the bullet hole in her chest and a small, moan left her throat. Her breathing was shallow and her skin was pale as Reeve adjusted Shelke's weight in his arms and pulled her from the vehicle.

Reeve eased himself to the ground as he painfully looked down at the young woman covered in blood. His hand trembled as he ran his fingers over the wound in Shelke's chest. His already worried face creased with fear as Shelke gasped for breath and moaned miserably. The WRO Commander lifted her up higher in his arms and shook her gently.

"Shelke! Shelke, can you hear me?"

Shelke's gasping answered Reeve as he brought his knee up behind her and sat her upright.

"Shelke, wake up." Reeve begged softly as he brushed Shelke's hair out of her eyes. "Answer me."

Shelke took a shallow breath as her eyelids fluttered and her lips moved faintly.

Reeve looked at her with hopeful, blue eyes as words softly came from her throat.

"Emergency signal. . .needs. . .work. . .Reeve. . ."

Shelke slowly opened her bright, blue eyes and smiled faintly as Reeve put his hand against her cheek and tilted her face upward so that he could see it.

Reeve smiled back at her with a shivering sigh of relief.

"I'll get right on it, Miss Rui." he said softly.

He wrapped his arms around Shelke and held her tightly as the young woman reached out for him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against hers as Shelke buried her face in his shoulder. He put his hand at the back of her head and tried not to tremble as Shelke wheezed.

Shelke smiled against the fabric of Reeve's jacket as tears slowly slid down her face.

It didn't matter if she died, now.

She had his love. If only for a moment,  _she_  had his love.

Shelke looked up at Reeve as he gently leaned her back and stared at her with a small, relieved smile. She smiled back at him as Reeve ran his thumb across her cheek. Her blue eyes were getting cloudy from the loss of blood, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe, but Shelke still managed to lift her hand and put it against Reeve's as a sign that she understood.

"I think. . .I've. . .known. . ." she whispered softly.

Reeve laughed softly and looked down for a moment before looking at Shelke and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Shelke." he breathed. "You deserve someone so much better than a 40 year old man with more sins than the devil himself. . ."

"You. . .you're 39. . ."

Reeve's countenance softened considerably as he heard the soldiers returning behind him.

Shelke closed her eyes and tightened her fingers as much as she could around his as his lips gently came down on hers. She enjoyed the feeling against her skin as Reeve slowly pulled away and looked down at her while his men came back with Vincent Valentine in tow.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Shelke." he breathed softly. "Don't you ever. . ."

Shelke gasped softly and nodded.

"Just. . .don't let me. . .die. . .and I won't. . ." she rasped.

"Commander!"

Reeve held onto Shelke as he gently scooped her up and lifted her in his arms. He turned around and faced his men as they carried Vincent in between them. Reeve painfully looked at the bloody gunslinger before him with a sickening feeling in his gut. He noticed the orb in a death grip in Vincent's right hand and sighed a little with relief.

"He still has it. . ." he breathed.

"Sir, he was unconscious like this at the entrance to the cavern." the first soldier replied quickly. "But the cave itself has been completely destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Reeve asked with stun.

"Yes, sir." the soldier replied.

"That must mean. . ." Reeve stopped and looked down at Shelke as she painfully groaned.

He looked at his men with a frown.

"One of you take Lieutenant Rui's vehicle back to base. The other will help me secure Vincent Valentine and the lieutenant so that we can get them to the Med Base, understood?"

"Yes, sir." the soldiers replied saluting.

As the three men eased the injured Shelke and the injured Vincent into the second, WRO vehicle, Chaos stirred from within the subconscious of the unconscious gunslinger. The demon looked out through Vincent's body and past Reeve securing him to a bench in the vehicle. Chaos even went so far as to leave the mountains completely. He traveled for several moments before stopping in a dim, beige room and looking down at the small, trembling figure in a white bed. He watched the ebony haired beauty for a few seconds before closing his eyes and frowning.

_"Wake up, Princess. . ._

His eyes came open with a fiery, golden start as he glared.

_"WAKE UP, PRINCESS!"_


	10. Mezzo-Forte

Yuffie woke with a start and softly cried out as sweat dripped from her temple. Her body trembled violently as horrible images of Nicoli and Vincent filled her head. She painfully brought her hand to her forehead and gasped as her eyes turned a bright lavender.

_"I'm coming home. . .I promise. . ."_

Vincent's voice echoed in Yuffie's head as the young woman tried to sort her thoughts out. She slowly blinked as her heart continued to race in her chest. She took in her surroundings as her vision faded in and out rapidly. Yuffie winced and blinked again as she ran her fingers up and over her scalp.

"What's. . .what's wrong with me?" she whispered as her body started aching.

Yuffie slowly eased her legs out of the bed and set her feet on the floor as her hand fumbled for the light switch. As her fingers slid up the side of the lamp, another wave of pain shot through the young woman's body and sent it into a spasm. Yuffie softly moaned as her hand fell and knocked her cell phone and her drinking glass off of the night stand. Tears started rolling down Yuffie's cheeks as she fell forward and hit the floor. Her head pounded as she lay there for a moment and slowly flexed her fingers.

_This isn't right. . .something's wrong. I didn't feel like this before. . ._

"He. . .help, me. . ." Yuffie rasped as she painfully tremored. "Help me!"

She turned her head and gasped as a loud rumbling echoed throughout the building. She looked toward the covered window with fear as her heart started racing again.

"No. . .please. . ." she whispered shaking her head.

Yuffie cried out and curled into a ball as the door to her room flew open.

"Yuffie!"

"No, no! No, leave me alone!" Yuffie screamed as Vox tried to kneel down next to her and help her.

Vox jumped back with a start and looked up at Rina as the young woman gently put her hand on his shoulder. He watched as Rina slowly knelt down beside Yuffie and slowly reached out to touch the trembling ninja. As her fingers touched an exposed part of Yuffie's skin, her green eyes widened with a start.

"Rina?" Vox asked as Rina quickly pulled Yuffie's body toward her so that the ninja was on her back.

Yuffie looked up at Rina with hazy, lavender eyes as her breaths came in short, labored gasps. She painfully winced as Rina put her fingers against her forehead.

"Vincent. . ."

Rina painfully pulled her hand away and looked at Vox with worry.

"Rina, what is it? Is she okay?" Vox asked trying not to let his fear show.

Rina shook her head and looked at her partner with narrow, green eyes.

Vox looked at Rina with wide, ice blue eyes as his partner's face paled considerably. He looked down at Yuffie as the ninja started to cry harder.

"What's wrong!"

Rina looked up with a start as a booming sound echoed from outside. She looked at Vox who angrily glared and quickly got up. Rina followed his movements as he went over to the window and slowly pulled the curtains back so he could see. She slowly looked down at Yuffie and gently ran her fingers over the young woman's cheek as Yuffie whimpered and continued to breathe heavily.

"Vincent. . .come home. . ."

Rina's eyes shimmered an iridescent emerald as a horrible shock ran through her body. She gasped with horror and lifted her head as Vox slowly pulled away from the window and turned to face her again.

_No, not here. . . you couldn't have found your way here!_

"I don't see anything out there, but. . ."

Rina's eyes widened as the building lurched horribly. She trembled uncontrollably as the window and the wall holding it in place was blown in causing an explosion from within the room. Her eyes filled with tears as Vox was blown forward and slammed into the opposing wall. Rina threw herself over Yuffie in an attempt to shield the sobbing ninja from any debris.

She already knew what was coming.

He would do exactly as he had before. . .

Vox painfully coughed and pushed himself up with a quick rebound as he pulled out his handgun and walked over to where Rina was pushing herself off of Yuffie and looking up. Vox's blue eyes were blazing as blood slid down the side of his face. He glared as the smoke cleared and hateful, purple eyes glowed from the hole in the wall.

"So, this is Neo Shinra's up and coming finest."

Rina looked up at Vox with a start as he stood in front of her and Yuffie.

"Rin, get Yuffie out of here." Vox said softly as Nicoli came into view. "Alert the others."

Rina grabbed Vox's leg and shook her head wildly as Yuffie softly gasped for breath.

Nicoli smirked as Vox angrily stared him down and kept his handgun trained on him.

"Ah, you must be one of Vincent's young Turks. Am I right?"

"The only thing you have right." Vox hissed as he glared. "And if you know what's good for you, you will leave,  _now_."

Nicoli smiled calmly as he looked down at the green eyed, young woman that was shielding Yuffie.

His eyes narrowed.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." he said returning his gaze to Vox. "You see, I am charged with finding and retrieving Princess Yuffie Kisaragi. Now that I have found her, I am required to take her back to her homeland, where she belongs."

"Not against her will you're not." Vox replied loading his weapon.

"Then I will go through you just as I went through your beloved teacher." Nicoli replied with a grin.

Vox's eyebrows rose as Nicoli's eyes blazed a fierce purple.

Rina screamed and threw herself over Yuffie again as Nicoli lifted his hands and a strong wind blew in from behind him and knocked Vox backward.

Nicoli looked at Vox with a start as the young man struck the wall with his feet and managed to rebound back once more. As Vox came back toward him, Nicoli smirked. His body jolted several times as Vox opened fire and landed in front of Rina and Yuffie again.

Vox dropped the clip out of his handgun and pulled another out of his jacket pocket as Nicoli started laughing and his purple wings came out from his backside. Vox glared and loaded his weapon a second time as he looked down at Rina with fierce eyes.

"Get Yuffie  _out_  of here, Rina!" he hissed.

Rina looked up at him with fear.

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

Rina cried out as Vox yelled and lunged forward toward Nicoli. She watched with horrible pain as Vox engaged Nicoli in a blinding battle of handgun fire and fists. She trembled as Yuffie gasped harder and the ninja's skin paled. Rina winced and looked at Vox one, more time before shaking her head and pulling Yuffie up into her arms. She quickly picked the ninja up and made for the door.

_"I don't **think**  so, Andrina. . ."_

"RINA!"

Rina softly cried out as a painful jolt of energy struck her back and caused her to stumble forward. Her body protested and instinctively protected the second body in her arms as she fell to the ground. She painfully winced and looked at Yuffie as the ninja's eyes remained closed and the ninja mewed softly.

Rina heard Vox yell for her again as she painfully tried to block out the demon behind her.

_"Andrina. . ."_

Rina painfully reached up for the door knob as she held Yuffie close.

_". . .leave me alone. . .stop it. . ."_

_"You can't run from me, Andrina. You have never been able to run from me. I know it's you, Andrina. . .submit. . ."_

_"No. . ."_

_"SUBMIT."_

_"NO!"_

"Leave her alone you son of a bitch."

Nicoli roared as Vox grabbed him from behind and jerked his head back. Rina gasped with pain as Nicoli's eye contact was broken and he was no longer pressing down upon her. She turned and looked at Vox with tears in her eyes as the blue haired young man wrestled with the demon.

"Get outta here, Rina!" Vox yelled as he slammed his fist into Nicoli's face and then sent the demon into the far wall.

He turned with his Turk suit torn and bloody as his blue eyes narrowed painfully.

"Rina, please. . .get out of here." he begged.

Rina started trembling again as Nicoli tried attacking Vox and the Turk jumped up and out of the way.

It was happening all over again.

She clutched the sides of her head as horrible memories and dark water clouded her mind. Just when she thought the pain would be too great, she gasped and opened her eyes.

_No._

Rina painfully picked Yuffie up and wrenched the door open as she heard Vox yell. She pushed everything out of her head as she hauled Yuffie out of the room and started running down the hall.

"ANDRINA!"

Blinding pain shot through Rina's skull as she fell to her knees and her arms locked around Yuffie. Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head and sobbed. She cried out as a force yanked her back as though she were on a chain. She vainly tried to let go of Yuffie as she and the ninja were pulled back into the decimated room and the door slammed shut. Rina trembled and closed her eyes as her arms uncurled and Yuffie rolled onto the floor without a sound.

"At first I didn't think it was you, Andrina. But when you didn't answer your little friend here, and you looked up with those ever so familiar eyes, I just knew it was you."

Rina looked up with as much of a glare as she could manage, but it faded instantly as she saw Vox dangling by his neck from Nicoli's closed fist. Her eyes widened as her mouth came open to cry out as Vox's hands vainly worked to pry Nicoli's away from his throat, but no sound came from her body. Instead, she looked at Nicoli with pain.

Nicoli grinned.

"So, you are still holding yourself to that silly vow of silence, are you, Andrina? You are as stupid as she was. She deserved the death that father gave her. And in turn, father deserved the death that I gave  _him_. Wouldn't you agree, sister, dear?"

Rina glared and once again blocked her mind as she slowly reached for Yuffie and held the ninja close. Tears slid down her pale cheeks as she hissed.

Nicoli laughed.

"I would have never guessed that you would get recruited by this antiquated excuse for a killing service. Then again," he said as he shook the blue haired Turk in his hand, "your unique skills do tend to attract attention, don't they, Andrina?"

He grinned as a noise came from Rina's throat as he tightened his grip on Vox's neck, causing the Turk's skin to change a shade of blue similar to his hair color. Vox's eyes narrowed in pain as he clutched at Nicoli's hand and looked at Rina.

"D. . o. . .n't. . .giv. . .e . . . IN, RIN!"

"How typical." Nicoli hissed looking up at him. "Always worried about the other, never yourself. That is why you and your kind will not survive when I get done with this miserable excuse for a planet."

He glared as Vox's eyes narrowed and the Turk lifted his middle finger.

"You will be the first of many. Lucky you."

"VOX, DON'T LOOK AT HIS EYES! LOOK AWAY!"

Nicoli roared with hatred as Vox's eyes instinctively moved to Rina's as the young woman screamed with a voice heavy with accent. He made to break Vox's neck as the Turk turned his gaze back to him, but as he tried to follow through, a deeply embedded pain attacked his skull. The demon roared again and reared back as his hand dropped Vox and the young man ended up in a heap on the floor.

Vox gasped for breath and pulled himself away from Nicoli as the demon grabbed the sides of his head and hissed. The blue haired Turk looked up at Rina as the green eyed woman he had grown so used to protecting stood up with her green eyes blazing. Her long, brown hair was blowing out behind her as she held out her hands and trembled. He gasped as Nicoli opened his purple eyes and bared his teeth at Rina.

"You  _stupid_  bitch!" Nicoli hissed.

Rina frowned as her eyes narrowed.

Vox gasped again as Nicoli roared and fell to his knees as the demon clawed at his scalp. He looked back at Rina as the young woman hissed. He shook his head as Rina winced and Nicoli lowered his hands with a hateful scowl.

_"You forget, I am a part of your blood, too, brother."_

_". . .and **you**  forget, I was always the favorite. . ."_

"RINA!"

Rina's eyes widened with shock and her hands fell with a start as Vox's icy blue eyes looked into hers with surprise. The room fell completely still as the two Turks looked at one another without speaking. Rina's eyes subconsciously filled with tears as Vox's body jerked and blood spilled from between his lips. The barbs from Nicoli's attack were poking through Vox's right shoulder and chest as Nicoli hissed from behind Vox.

"What is it with you humans and sacrificing yourselves for creatures not worth your pitiful lives?" Nicoli asked with a frown.

Rina painfully shook her head and lifted her hands as Nicoli yanked his hand back and the barbs broke off into Vox's body. Vox jerked and spit up more blood as he fell to his knees with a start. He kept his eyes on Rina as the young woman slid to her knees in front of him and gently ran her fingers across his face. He smiled a little as a throbbing pain filled his body.

"Are. . .are you hurt. . .Rin?" he breathed softly.

Rina shook her head quickly and looked at him.

Vox smiled again as his conscious waivered in and out.

"Good. . .I'm. . .glad." he whispered.

Rina gasped as his head bobbed forward in her hands and looked up as Nicoli scoffed above them.

"Quit it, Andrina." Nicoli said as he looked down at the trembling young woman. "Have you honestly gone these last, three years without speaking a single word? Did you honestly think that would stop the pain? Did you honestly believe that you could escape what you were if you never spoke out loud? You are just as broken and destroyed as I am. I am just the stronger child."

Nicoli glared as he watched Rina lean forward and gently brush Vox's hair out of his face. His eyes were hateful as Rina glared up at him and hissed. His skull started to throb and he instantly hissed and backed away from the two Turks. His gaze turned to Yuffie who was still laying on the floor breathing heavily.

_Don't move, brother._

Nicoli hissed and looked at Rina as sirens rang up from downstairs.

Rina glared back and held Vox's face in between her hands as she felt her voice rising within her.

No more running.

"I am not your puppet, Nicoli. And it will be a cold day in hell when I allow you to take this world from those who have worked hard to save it."

Rina's voice was soft and laced with an accent somewhere between Russian and German. She looked at Nicoli with a glare as he grinned with teeth gleaming.

"Since when, Andrina?" he snarled.

He roared and fell back as Rina opened her mouth and a horrible, high pitched screech came from it.

"YOU BITCH!"

Rina's voice cut out with a start as her green eyes focused and she gasped. She shook her head and looked at Vox as Nicoli staggered back to his feet. A dull pain started forming behind her eyes as she looked up at her brother. Memories of her father and her mother filled her mind as Nicoli towered over her with a snarl.

"I don't have time to deal with past mistakes, Andrina." Nicoli hissed. "You are a nuscensce, but nothing that can't be dealt with later."

Rina painfully winced and kept hold of Vox as Nicoli slowly moved toward Yuffie again and picked the ninja up.

"Nicoli!"

Nicoli glared and looked down at Yuffie as the ninja started crying and gasping as he held her. Her head fell back over his arm as Nicoli frowned and turned away from Rina and Vox. He could feel that something was not quite right, but he could not place his finger on what as he slowly moved back toward the hole in the wall.

"You take that girl, Nicoli, and I swear on our parents' deaths, I will be more than a nuscience in your plan."

Nicoli stopped and frowned as he slowly turned and looked back at the young woman kneeling on the floor and glaring at him with emerald green eyes. He took into account the bloody, painful history he and his estranged sister shared before looking down at the gasping, pain stricken human in his arms.

Rina glared as Nicoli forced his kiss upon Yuffie and caused the ninja's back to arch over his arms. Her glare deepened as the demon pulled away from Yuffie and looked at his sibling with a hungry, depraved look in his eyes.

"Like I told Vincent, Andrina. . .I am not above taking what I want. . ."

"You're a monster, Nicoli."

"And you are the bastard daughter of a slut and an army general." Nicoli sneered. "Go ahead. Try to stop me. I promise you, by the time I am done with Yuffie Kisaragi, it won't matter anymore. Even if you stop  _me_ , it will be too late for  _her_ , and that is the beauty of this plan."

Rina's eyes widened with horror as Nicoli produced the vial of blood he had stolen from Lucrecia Crescent.

"No. . .  _you son of a BITCH!_ "

Rina cried out as a painful restraint pressed her to the floor and Nicoli raised the vial higher over Yuffie's body.

"Ah, ah, ah, sister, dear." Nicoli crooned hatefully. "Wouldn't want me to do something else you'd regret, would you?"

Tears fell from Rina's eyes as she silently prayed members of her squad were on their way.

"Why? Why are you doing this to her?" she asked softly. "What have you to gain by cells that cannot be controlled?"

Nicoli grinned.

"I don't plan on making the same mistakes Hojo and Lucrecia did. . .that's why. Because this planet deserves to be filled with those who are superior to the average race. . . _that's_  why. And, most of all, Andrina, dear," he said as he pocketed the vial of blood and looked at Rina, "because I want to make Vincent Valentine wish he was never found."

"Nicoli. . .NICOLI!"

Rina cried out and threw her head back with a scream as Nicoli laughed bitterly and turned away. As the purple wings silently beat at his back and carried the ninja off in the afternoon sun, Rina quickly brought her head forward again and trembled uncontrollably. The whole time, her hands never leaving Vox's face. She slowly faced the blue haired Turk with tears running down her cheeks.

Vox's eyes narrowly met hers as blood fell from his lips. He gasped for breath as Rina leaned her face in closer to his.

"Rina. . .you. . .you're. . .his. . ."

Rina painfully closed her eyes as Vox coughed and more blood spilled from his lips. She slowly re-opened her eyes and looked at her friend with a small nod.

"I am his sister, yes." she whispered softly. "I am Nicoli's counterpart. Our father allowed scientists in Midgar experiment on us for the sake of discovering a way to harness energy like a machine does. Deepground was a result of the tests that were ran on kids like Nicoli and myself."

Vox painfully wheezed and closed his eyes as he tried to rationalize what was happening.

"I am so sorry, Vox. . .I. . .I never wanted my past to hurt you, too."

Rina gasped as Vox looked up and glared at her.

"You let him take. . .Yuffie, Rina. . ." he breathed hatefully. ". . .why didn't you stop him! If you. . .are his. . .equal. . ."

Tears formed under Rina's eyes even though she tried to remain strong. She shook her head.

"Because, Vox, I am not his equal, I am his counterpart. I can hinder him, even stop him when my will is strong enough. But he broke my will when he killed my mother and convinced my father to put me in a brothel house. My mother was the only one who ever cared about me, and when I saw her dead, in cold blood, I vowed never to speak another word. . .because that is where I counter Nicoli. He's been fused with a mind bending demon. They use brain patterns and psycho kinesis to bend things to their will. I am a sound shifter. I interrupt signals to the brain and signals coming from my brother with waves that many humans cannot hear. I couldn't leave you, Vox, because if I had, he would have killed you."

Vox's glare melted even though he tried to remain angry.

"I'm not important, Rina! You should have. . .should have saved. . . _Yuffie_!"

Rina carefully supported Vox as he coughed violently and trembled as the barbs in his shoulder slowly stained his Turk jacket red.

She sighed softly and looked down.

"Vox, you can be mad at me, but please. . .please don't ask me to let someone I care about die before me. . .not again, Vox. . .not again."

Vox's eyes finally widened and his anger disappeared as new tears started falling from Rina's eyes. Through the mess of brown bangs, and through the sea of green irises, Vox saw the pain and agony that Rina had been through. All of the testing, all of the suffering, everything from her childhood to this very moment was clear as Rina painfully looked up at him and shook her head.

"I didn't want to lose Yuffie, Vox. . .but if I would have let go of you, Nicoli's poison would have killed you. It still can. Until we get these barbs out, and I draw out his poison, I could still lose you. . .and another death from someone protecting me on my conscience is something I simply could not bear, Vox. . .so please. . .please, don't ask me to."

Vox wordlessly shook his head and reached up for Rina as she started sobbing. He painfully wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close, careful not to spear her on the obstructions sticking out of his skin. He put his head against Rina's and winced as he felt like kicking himself in the ass. She had been trying to save his life, and he had acted like. . .like. . .

"A Turk." he breathed softly.

He slowly leaned Rina back and looked at the young woman as she cried. She looked at him with narrow eyes as he slowly brushed her tears away and smiled at her.

"I'm sorry, Rin. . .I guess. . .I guess I forgot that I was human first. . .Turk second. Life before the mission. . .I am just so angry with myself that I lost against that goon. What you have been through is horrible, Rina, and I am sorry for that. If I could go back and erase all of it, I would. . .but. . ." he stopped as he lifted Rina's face so he could look into her eyes. He smiled again. " _but_ , I can make sure it doesn't cause you pain again."

Rina looked at him, startled, as he kept his hand against her face.

"Vox?"

"If anyone's to blame for Yuffie's capture, it's me, Rin." Vox said softly. "I couldn't stop Nicoli before you got away safely."

Rina smiled half heartedly and shook her head.

"Nicoli has always been stronger than me, Vox. He's underhanded and he's used people from the start. The demon part of him has taken over much of what was left of my brother. It makes him stupid and careless, however. I have a feeling things will work out."

Rina painfully kept her hands on Vox's face as his head bobbed forward again and he winced.

"I thought one of the others would have been here by now." she whispered as Vox breathed heavily.

She fearfully looked at the communication device on Vox's belt as he coughed.

"Rina. . ."

Rina looked up at Vox as the young man lifted the radio from his belt and turned it on. He smiled a little as his eyes slid to half shut while he lifted the radio up so that Rina could talk into it.

"You can do this. . .Rina. . ."' he breathed softly. "I promise. . .I won't say anything to them."

Rina smiled a little at her partner before nodding slowly.

"Okay, Vox. . ." she whispered.

She collected herself as Vox pressed down the button on the side of the radio with bloody fingers.

As the static erupted from the small, black device, Rina opened her eyes and frowned.

"Turk Unit, Main Base, this is Recruit 32875. I need immediate assistance on the 20th floor, Room 35D. Over."

Rina's voice was firm and laced with her strange accent as Vox painfully let go of the button and the two Turks listened for a comeback.

"Recruit 32875, this is Commander 01, state your name for verification."

Rina painfully trembled as she felt the poison shift into Vox's blood flow causing him to groan.

"Tseng, please, it's Rina. Vox is injured and Nicoli has taken Yuffie. He has JENOVA cells from Lucrecia Crescent and he plans on infecting Yuffie with them next. Please, you have to believe me!" she cried as Vox pushed down the button on the radio.

Rina ran her fingers over Vox's cheeks as the Turk's head lifted and he gasped for breath. Sweat slowly dripped down the young man's face as Rina painfully looked down at the radio still in Vox's hand.

There was another long moment of silence.

"Rina, we are on our way."

Rina sighed with relief as she looked at Vox with a small smile. Her green eyes tightened with pain as Vox's breathing grew shallow. She shook her head as the blue haired man she had grown accustomed to started to fall unconscious in her arms.

"No, Vox. . .NO!" she cried quickly shaking the Turk. "You can't fall asleep, Vox. . .you have to stay awake for a little longer!" she cried softly.

Tears filled her eyes again as Vox painfully opened his hazy, icy eyes and smiled faintly.

"No. . .one's used that voice with me. . .in such a long time. . ." he breathed.

Rina shook her head as her tears slid down her cheeks.

"Please, Vox. . .hold on. . .please. . ."

Vox jaggedly inhaled and closed his eyes as Nicoli's poison slowed his heart rate and his breathing. He knew that he was still alive only because Rina was counteracting whatever Nicoli had done. He had never imagined dying like this. Perhaps more unusually, he had never imagined it would be so easy to step in front of someone when they were being attacked. He had always imagined sacrificing oneself to be a hard task. One that took strength and courage. Yet, it had been impulse, a split decision, that had caused him to jump up and in between Nicoli and Rina.

Vox's hand slowly dropped the radio as his fingers reached up for Rina's face.

But the impulse had been because he had grown fond of the sniffling, silent Rina. He had grown so accustomed to her presence by his side, that he couldn't imagine being alive without her. It was so strange, because he did not love anything in his life. He hadn't loved since he was a boy, and even that was short lived.

Rina looked at Vox with wide, green eyes as his fingers touched her cheek.

Vox opened his eyes and watched Rina lean into his palm and start crying again as his heartbeat skipped.

He wanted to ease her pain. He didn't want her to suffer, and that is why he defended her. That is why he didn't think before he acted. That is why he didn't hesitate to save her from her brother. He cared about her so much his own life was trivial without her in it. And, if that were completely true, there was only one thing left for him to admit.

Vox smiled as he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. He looked into Rina's eyes and held her face gently in his hand as he made a memory of every tear, every feature, every piece of the woman in front of him. He slowly pulled Rina's face closer to his as his eyes narrowed and he leaned forward.

Rina was startled as Vox's lips gently fell upon hers, but as she heard pounding on the door, she slowly closed her eyes and tightened her fingertips against Vox's face. Tears continued to escape her eyes as Vox slowly pulled away and smiled at her through half opened eyes. As the door busted open, Vox nodded.

"I love you, Rina."

Rina trembled and gasped a little as Vox's breath caught in his throat and his eyes closed. She shook her head as his body began to slump forward and his heartbeat became nearly nonexistent.

"No. . .no, VOX!" she cried as Tseng and the other three, Originals came through the door and swarmed the room.

She started sobbing as she felt Vox's life slipping through her fingers. She shook Tseng's hand off of her shoulder and continued to shake as her bloody fingertips continued to hold the young man in front of her.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. . .

"Rina, you must calm down." Tseng said patiently as he stood beside the sobbing young woman while the others searched the room.

Rina painfully gasped for breath and looked up at him with emerald eyes drowned in tears.

"Tseng, it looks like the show downstairs was just a distraction." Elena said with a frown. "He was here the whole time."

Tseng sighed softly and looked at the large, gaping hole in the Shinra building before shaking his head and looking down at Rina.

"We need to contact Cloud and Reeve. Find out if Vincent has returned. He needs to know about this." he said softly.

"Right." Elena said slowly turning and moving toward the door. She painfully looked down at Rina before turning and quickly exiting.

"Rude, Reno. . ." Tseng said as he watched Rina rock back and forth on the floor.

"Yeah, boss?" Reno asked trying not to look at Rina.

"Take care of Rina while I figure out what happened." Tseng replied softly.

Reno nodded as he and Rude walked forward.

As Tseng and Rude tried to lift Vox from Rina's hands, the young woman glared hatefully and shook her head.

"No."

Reno was startled and moved back immediately as the soft, firm voice left Rina's throat. Rude also moved away as Tseng sighed softly and shook his head.

"Rina, he's. . ."

"I know what he is, Commander." Rina replied a little softer toward Tseng. "But he isn't dead. My brother uses highly potent chemicals in his weapons. He used them enough on me when we were children, I think I would know how to reverse the effects. But, I am running out of time. I need these barbs out of him  _now_  and I cannot let go of him."

Tseng was startled at Rina's statement and looked down at her with a shake of his head.

Rina looked at him with pleading, green eyes.

"I know I am an abomination, and I do not care what you do to me after this is done, but please, Vox tried to save Yuffie and myself. . .please let me save his life." she whispered.

Tseng shook his head again.

"I wasn't going to argue, Rina." he said softly. "Not in the slightest."

Rina sighed with relief and let her body go lax as she bowed her head.

"Thank you. . .thank you." she breathed.

"Nor was I considering getting rid of  _you_ , Rina."

Rina looked up at her commander with a start as Tseng cleared his throat.

"In fact, I think this will work to our advantage. Provided you will do what you can to help us stop Nicoli, of course."

Rina looked at Vox as his unconscious body continued to weigh heavier in her arms. Going against her brother would take strength and courage she didn't have. She had spent her whole life afraid he would come after her like he had the rest of her family. But as she felt her brother's poison slowly creep into Vox's heart, she glared.

_No. **That** , brother, belongs to  **me**_

She looked up at Tseng with a resolute nod.

"I will." she responded softly.

"Good. Rude, carry Vox. Reno, make damn sure that nothing separates him from Rina until you get to Med Base at WRO Headquarters. If we are in any luck, Reeve is there with Vincent." Tseng replied as he stood up.

He waited until his two Turks had responded back before looking down at Rina.

"We'll do all we can, Rina. Thank you for trying to stop him."

Rina was startled as Tseng bowed to her before slowly exiting the room. She looked up at Reno as the red head squatted down next to her and helped Rude pick Vox up in his arms.

"I think that means you're official, Pigtail Princess." Reno said with a grin. "I don't think I can remember the last time Tseng ever bowed like that to someone other than the Commander."

Rina was silent as she slowly stood up and kept her hands firmly attached to Vox's face. She painfully winced as she followed alongside Rude while Reno cleared their path out of the room and down the hallway.

"If you don't mind me asking," Rude said as Reno entered his code for the emergency lift, "is there a particular reason why you must hold his face?"

Rina looked up at Rude as she walked into the lift with him and Reno. As the lift jolted to life and started descending, she painfully looked at Vox's bloody face and shook her head.

"Because as long as his brain remains untouched by Nicoli's poison, I can reverse the damage done to everything else." she replied softly. "My brother is a mind bender. He specializes in destroying the mind. My body is essentially designed to counteract his power, but if the poison infects enough of the brain, I am afraid that nothing I can do can correct it."

"Then why submit to the bastard." Reno said with a frown as he watched the lighted numbers above the gates.

He turned and looked down at Rina.

"If you know you can be his destroying factor, why let him boss you around?"

Rina was quiet as this thought sunk in. As Reno continued on about how people needed to be stronger in their lives, Rude looked down at Rina over his darkened lenses.

"Reno is right, in a way." he said softly.

Rina looked up at him as he spoke.

"What?"

"You need to have confidence in yourself." Rude replied. "Vox had confidence in you. . .and you want to save him so bad, your will is allowing your strength to overcome that of your enemy's. That's all it takes, Rina. That's all."

Rude fell silent again and looked straight ahead as the lift slowed.

As Reno pried the gates open and said something else, Rina looked down at Vox laying in Rude's arms. She silently held his face tighter and closed her eyes for a moment as a few, stray tears escaped from under her eyelids.

_I love you, too, Vox. . .I must. . .so I **will**  be strong. I will. . .I promise._

With that, Reno carefully helped her and Rude from the lift as they stepped out into the cargo hangar.

_You'll pay, brother. For the murders you have committed, and those you were going to commit. . .you will **pay.**_


	11. Interlude

_Chaos frowned and looked out through the sea of endless green. He shook his head and waited with his arms crossed as the shapes around him shifted and moved. He waited a few moments longer before letting his arms fall to his sides and walking forward. As he did so, the green surrounding him took shape and beautiful trees, flower bushes, and shrubs appeared around him._

**_"To what do I owe the honor, Chaos?"_ **

_Chaos turned and looked as the small, violet eyed woman that had met with Yuffie weeks ago emerged from behind a lavender bush._

**_"I had to ask for a favor."_ ** _he replied with a small smirk._

_The woman nodded a little and adjusted her kimono as she walked forward. Her long, black hair was tied back in a series of ribbons and cords as it silently bounced against her shoulder. She stopped in front of Chaos and looked up at him with a smile._

**_"So you come from your plane of existence into ours for a favor? The Alpha of the Omega to all that exists in BOTH planes. This gives me reason to worry."_ **

_Chaos frowned a little and lifted a silver armor plate that had been covering the spot in the center of his chest._

_Mizuki Kisaragi's eyes widened as she saw the reflection of the Kisaragi talisman in the vacant hole inside Chaos's ribs. She looked at him with a start._

**_"How did you come upon that?"_ ** _she whispered._

**_"Your daughter gave it to Vincent Valentine when the two had to separate."_ ** _Chaos replied as he eased the silver plate back over the hole. **"Vincent came to find me and Nicoli came after him. In turn, Nicoli did not realize that Vincent had the talisman in the first place and when Vincent called me back to his body, neither did I. The form I have now is the combined form of YOUR talisman and Vincent's will. A sorry set of affairs, really. Especially when Nicoli realizes that Yuffie does not have the talisman and he infects her with JENOVA's cells."**_

_Mizuki gasped and glared as the souls that moved beyond the garden surrounding her and Chaos started to slow down._

**_"But, that's impossible. Godo knew when he married me. . .it's been a tradition linked to Wutai's history for centuries. Yuffie should have known that the power she wielded MADE her who she was. She should know the consequences if she should ever LOSE it."_ **

_Chaos shook his head._

**_"I'm afraid, your highness, that after you died, Godo let the sorry bastards that put you inside this glowing rock make a few ill timed decisions involving Yuffie's knowledge of what she possessed."_ ** _he said with a small frown. **"She has no idea that the power she wields contains the life force of every female ancestor in her family."**_

_Mizuki's face was one of shock as she put her fingers to her lips and turned to the portal facing the souls of her brethren. The activity outside the garden had stopped completely as hundreds of souls watched Mizuki with bated eyes and concerned frowns._

_Chaos watched patiently as Mizuki slowly turned around and faced him._

_Mizuki shook her head._

**_"My daughter is still the most important thing to me. Even though I cannot hold her, and I cannot comfort her, I can be there for her. Something must be different. There must be a reason for this happening as it did. The transfer of the talisman to Vincent Valentine should have caused a negative response immediately, but it didn't, correct?"_ **

**_"Correct."_ ** _Chaos said softly._

**_"Then this man possesses something that binds him to Yuffie."_ ** _Mizuki said firmly. **"It may be his dedication to her, it may be his love, I don't know, but something binds him to my daughter and allows him to use and protect this power as any Kisaragi would. Strange, however, because he possesses YOU."**_

_Chaos smirked as Mizuki looked at him with a slightly hardened gaze._

**_"I told you, your highness, Vincent's WILL is what forces my purpose. Now, however, your talisman is making it difficult for me to negotiate the terms of Nicoli's demise and Yuffie's life. I am very capable of destroying a mind bender. Inside, the brat is still more human than demon, but because Vincent's will to protect Yuffie is so much stronger than that of his desire to kill the bastard that has put her in danger, I am finding a paradox in fixing our mutual problem._ **

**_"Therefore,"_ ** _Chaos said as he looked down at Mizuki, **"I do believe we need to come to some sort of arrangement in order to find a happy medium while Vincent possesses the talisman."**_

_Miyuki shook her head._

**_"The Kisaragi talisman is merely the vessel for our strength, Chaos. Truly, none of us ever understood it ourselves. But when I died and passed the power to my daughter, I felt something so strong and so sudden move through me, I just knew that Yuffie would change everything. Even when she was born, I sensed a touch of destiny about her. If my daughter is still alive after being without the talisman, then there is something else sustaining her. Perhaps it is Vincent that is prolonging her life, perhaps it is her own will, but whatever the case, the talisman in and of itself contains the birthright, not the power."_ **

**_"But it is true that both are needed when trying to unleash your strength, correct?"_ ** _Chaos interjected._

_Miyuki smiled with wisdom behind her purple irises._

**_"In theory only, Chaos. The birthright is exactly what the word means: at BIRTH. Yuffie has had that talisman since the day she was born though I possessed its power. Normally, the procedure would be the same as when I died. I exhausted my strength defending what belonged to my family and my daughter at the same time. In doing so, I offered myself up and added to the strength of that power. Then, using the talisman as proof, that power immediately transferred to my successor, Yuffie. However, if what you say is true, Chaos, then my daughter has inadvertently given the talisman to another, thus, by default, making them her successor. Since she has no idea how to wield the power she possesses, she could use it without even knowing it. But the same rules would apply. She would offer herself up, and the power would immediately transfer to the talisman holder. . .Yuffie's successor. . ."_ **

_Miyuki stopped and looked at Chaos with another smile._

**_". . .in this case, Chaos, you and Vincent Valentine."_ **

_Chaos was startled and thought about Miyuki's words before his eyes narrowed and he frowned._

**_"But only females can use this power. . .and Vincent is not a Kisaragi."_ **

**_"Some legends have stipulations like those only for show, Chaos."_ ** _Miyuki replied lightly. **"And only because those limits had yet to be tested."**_

_Chaos frowned again._

**_"Yuffie is dying NOW. . .and if she is infected with JENOVA cells. . ."_ **

_Chaos fell silent as Miyuki looked up at him with startling violet eyes._

**_"Of course Yuffie is dying, Chaos."_ ** _Miyuki said softly. **"She has no idea how to properly control the power bestowed upon her. That WAS to be her father's job if anything were to happen to me. I had no idea that he felt he didn't NEED to teach her how to use it after I had died. Because of her lack of knowledge and because she has given the talisman away to someone not of her own flesh and blood, of course her body is reacting to the loss. If Nicoli tries to infect her body, the power WILL unleash itself, and there is no telling what will happen when it does. But if your appearance, and the location of our talisman, says anything to me, Chaos, it is that Vincent Valentine will assume the Kisaragi power when, and if, Yuffie dies."**_

_Chaos was silent for a moment and felt the world around him shift slightly as he heard voices from far off. He frowned as Vincent's vitals rose and fell rapidly for a few moments before becoming stable once more. As he stood there and listened to the commotion going on around Vincent from the outside, a thought suddenly struck him._

**_"Yuffie didn't give it to someone who wasn't her flesh and blood."_ **

_Miyuki looked at Chaos with a raised eyebrow as the souls behind her started to move in closer._

**_"What do you mean? Does Yuffie have a child?"_ **

_Chaos smirked._

**_"She will in about nine months, but that is besides the point right now. When Nicoli found Yuffie, he had to use Vincent to find her. They had a stand off and for some reason, Yuffie stepped in front of Nicoli when he tried to stab Vincent. Apparently, Vincent went back for Yuffie instead of killing Nicoli and ending this whole mess. By the time he had gotten her back to Kalm to get her medical attention she had lost most of her blood. Vincent gave Yuffie nearly half the blood that flows through his body. What makes Vincent makes Yuffie now."_ **

_Miyuki was startled._

_She turned and looked to her right as several souls in kimono and war armor whispered in her ear and looked at Chaos with eyes of distrust._

_Chaos waited until Miyuki responded in Wutainese and turned back to him._

_Miyuki smiled a little._

**_"Your host truly is a good man, isn't he?"_ **

**_"Unfortunately. It makes my job here much more difficult, though. But since we are fused, there is nothing I can do but let him live as he sees fit. Right now, Yuffie is his priority and it is her life over his."_ ** _Chaos replied with a small sigh. **"But I cannot do this alone. Before, I might have, but with your power influencing my own, I am going to need help."**_

_Miyuki sighed._

**_"We will do what we can. If I am to understand correctly, then, Yuffie's body flows with the blood of Vincent Valentine, and she carries within her what will be a combination of flesh and blood, right?"_ **

**_"That is correct."_ ** _Chaos replied softly._

_Miyuki nodded._

**_"That is what is keeping our powers bound together, Chaos. As long as Vincent's blood is Yuffie's blood, Vincent is Yuffie's successor. If you cannot find a way to stop Nicoli before he tries inflicting harm upon my daughter, I cannot guarantee that we will be able to control the power from within her."_ **

**_"And if I can get Vincent there to stop him?"_ ** _Chaos asked with a frown._

_Miyuki looked at Chaos with narrowed eyes as the souls at her backside rose in one, gigantic wave of green behind her._

**_"Then we will take it from there."_ ** _she said mechanically._

**_"Then it's settled."_ ** _Chaos said with a small smile. **"I will get your talisman back where it belongs as long as you keep Yuffie from going crazy."**_

**_"It isn't just about the talisman, Chaos."_ ** _Miyuki said softly. **"It is about returning two things to one. Before, there has never been an equal or rival to this power that we have all possessed. It has claimed some of us, and eluded many, but it has never been challenged. Now, there are several forces at work against it and it is still a matter of birthright and succession. Perhaps the combination of our past and your strength can bring together a much needed change so a problem such as this never has to occur again."**_

_Chaos nodded as he heard the voices getting louder from the outside._

**_"Vincent Valentine has proven himself to be a stronger soul than he gives himself credit. Through all of his pain and suffering, through all of the hell he has put HIMSELF through, there has never BEEN a constant until Yuffie Kisaragi. Even when his self loathing and hatred caused me to be his enemy, I could feel that your daughter calmed his inner rage. Her presence was enough to make him feel more human than he had felt since all of the turmoil in his life uprooted everything he had ever known. He would never admit it aloud before, but Vincent enjoyed your daughter's company from the moment she helped that spikey blonde idiot lift the cover off of his coffin several years ago."_ **

_Miyuki smiled as several of the souls at her sides mimicked her._

**_"My daughter was destined for great things, Chaos. . .an early death was not in her stars."_ **

_Chaos laughed a little._

**_"I would like to say the same for Vincent, but I am afraid that this will be a true test of his character. He has survived everything Hojo and Lucrecia put him through, he's survived me, and he has survived beating Omega and banishing the both of us to the Lifestream. . .but THIS. . .this, Miyuki, will be what truly tests my gunslinger."_ **

_As the demon began to turn and walk away, Miyuki smiled and called after him._

**_"I cannot be sure of anything, Chaos. What happens from here on out will depend entirely upon the shoulders of your gunslinger and that of human willpower. If the heart truly believes in it enough, the mind, body, and soul will follow."_ **

_Chaos turned with an amused grin._

**_"I have faith in Vincent's capacities in those fields."_ ** _he said as the garden started to fade. **"Before, maybe I would have doubted him. . .but not now. Definitely not now."**_

_Miyuki smiled and looked down as Chaos faded from view and the souls behind her consumed her._

**_"Chaos, you have our support. Get this man to my daughter as fast as you can. . .and I promise. . .no matter how hard the test, he will find his way to a rewarding success._ **

**_"This. . .I PROMISE."_ **


	12. Doloroso

"Blood pressure 108 over 75. . .heart rate is 67 bpm."

"Continue monitoring and administering the transfusion. Be sure to keep away from the hole in his chest. Do not disturb it and do not interfere with his body's natural comatose. What was done to him before is taking care of that well enough on its own and he will come around of his own accord. Understood?"

"Yes, Doctor Shimura."

A tall, dark haired man with narrow, slate colored eyes sighed and turned away from the nurses moving around the pale, scarred man lying on the operating table. He moved out of the way of the blinding operating lights as nurses lifted bags of IV fluid and machines beeped behind him. He frowned at the files lying on a counter out of the way of everyone else and removed his mask as he moved past the information he had memorized word by word. He already knew Vincent Valentine's story. He was the one who had helped maintain it all of these years.

"How is he, Edward?"

Edward Shimura turned to his left as he exited the operating room as a soft, worried voice spoke to him.

He gave a sideways smirk to the ragged commander of the WRO as he shook his head.

"Nothing that Chaos cannot eventually fix, Reeve." he said softly.

"What about the item in his hand?" Reeve Tuesti asked as he uncrossed his arms and looked up at the taller man in front of him. "Does he still have it?"

"Won't let go of it as a matter of fact." Edward replied with a sigh. "I have reason to believe that is why he is alive at all."

"What do you mean?" Reeve asked.

Edward sighed again.

"Reeve, let's face it," he said shaking his head, "his body was dead. His flesh was decomposing and his organs had all but shut down. In fact, if Lucrecia hadn't messed in affairs above her head, he wouldn't be alive at all. Unfortunately, what Lucrecia failed to take into consideration when she infused a tortured soul was that the body may one day be unable to sustain itself. Vincent Valentine is at that point right now.

"You and I both knew this day might come. Even  _he_  knew that one day his body might reach a breaking point where it would just start deteriorating again. He's lucky to have survived this latest fusion at all. Whatever is fueling this talisman, as you call it, is fueling Vincent now. Performing the blood transfusion between his body and Yuffie Kisaragi's was hard for him to endure. We nearly lost him, Reeve. It was truly a miracle he lived and it's just dumb luck he predicted he'd need some of it for himself later, too. ."

Reeve was silent for a long moment before sighing and easing himself away from the wall. The hallway lights buzzed above the two men in the long, empty hallway as Reeve looked down at the pale tile.

"Edward, Vincent is more of a human than any of us give him credit for, you know?"

Edward looked at Reeve as the commander laughed softly and looked up at the ceiling with watery, blue eyes.

"It's her life over his, Edward. . .that's what he told me. I don't think he cares if it is going to start killing him. As long as she's safe, he can be happy with whatever he gets dealt. . .and how bloody fair is that. . ."

Reeve looked at Edward with a small smile and a shake of his head.

"He loves her with the heart of a human. It may have been a dead beat in a hollow chest made of demons and demon flesh, but it isn't now. It is a human heart powered by the warmth of the woman he loves most. He has a purpose to his life, and that is worth saving. A life powered by emotion and caring is something worth fighting for. . .a love so strong it's cheated death  _twice_ , now, is something precious and worth every bit of the energy I have to keep it going. _That_  is something worth it."

Edward looked at Reeve with a start as the commander turned away with tears slowly falling from his eyes.

He smiled a little as Reeve quickly wiped the offending tracks off of his face.

"Reeve, I didn't say that I was giving up on Vincent. Christ, I have been the one taking care of him since we found out this may become an issue. Now, however, it's no longer a question of  _if_. This is going to start affecting Vincent. Without something to reverse the effects of so many entrances to the Lifestream, Vincent Valentine's body will eventually deteriorate. There won't be anything left but the demons that plague him, and you know as well as I that Vincent doesn't want that. He doesn't want to lose who he is for that  _because_  he has found someone who loves him for exactly who he is. . .inside and out."

Reeve looked at Edward as Edward put his hand on his shoulder.

"I will do all I can to save this man. It's my job and I know how much he means to a lot of people. . .but this may get more deadly before it is all said and done, Reeve. . .that's all I'm saying."

Reeve looked away for a moment as Edward pulled away and shook his head.

"Don't worry so much, Reeve. . .you've got enough grey hairs as it is."

Reeve smirked as Edward laughed softly.

"Look who's talking." he replied.

Edward shook his head.

"If it is any consolation, Reeve, Vincent has a strong will and an even stronger die hard resolution. The two weapons combined will make him a formidable enemy for any opponent."

"Even if that opponent is himself?"

Edward smiled with a knowing gleam in his eyes.

" _Especially_  if that opponent is himself."

Both men were silent for a moment before turning as the white, double doors down the far end of the hallway were thrown open and the tall, heated form of Tifa Lockhart Strife stormed through the doorway. Edward raised his eyebrows with amusement as he watched several WRO soldiers try to stop her.

"Well, that is certainly an entrance." Edward said as Reeve sighed and shook his head.

"Sorry, Sir! We told her she couldn't come back here, but she. . ."

"Let go of me, dammit." the black haired barmaid said as she shoved the soldier's hand off of her arm. "My friend is in there!"

Reeve sighed again and smiled at the soldiers looking at Tifa flustered and upset.

"Thank you, Jonas, but she is a good friend of mine and Vincent's. She is fine. Thank you."

The soldier looked at Tifa suspiciously before saluting Reeve and nodding.

"Yes, Sir."

As the soldiers retreated and Tifa collected herself, Reeve smiled.

"Tifa, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I would have never dreamed of it had I known you were here."

"We're all here." Tifa said with a start. "Except for Cloud. He went to see what was happening at the Shinra Building."

Reeve tried to look surprised as he shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

Tifa was startled.

"You don't know?" she asked. "Nicoli attacked the Shinra Building. He's taken Yuffie and we are trying to figure out  _where_ he took her. Cloud sent me to find out about Vincent. How is he?"

Reeve looked at Tifa with tired, uneasy blue eyes as Edward sighed and crossed his arms.

"Only going to get worse. . ." he breathed.

Tifa looked at the two men and instantly recognized the tension in the air as her chocolate eyes narrowed.

"Reeve. . ."

Reeve smiled with a small shake of his head.

"Don't worry, Tifa. Vincent is fine. He managed to retrieve Chaos from Lucrecia's cave before the entire cavern collapsed. Nicoli has been very busy, actually. He attacked Vincent and Shelke while they were up there, and I had a feeling that he would be moving on to find Yuffie after he had taken something from Lucrecia upon his retreat."

Tifa shook her head.

"From Lucrecia. . .but, isn't she encased in mako?"

Reeve was silent as Tifa thought for a moment and her eyes widened with shock.

"No!" she breathed. "He couldn't possibly!"

Reeve sighed.

"Shelke believes that he got JENOVA cells from Lucrecia and that he may infuse Yuffie with them in the hopes that when she bears a child that child will not only have superior body chemistry, but possession of the Kisaragi power that has been handed down from generation to generation in Yuffie's family."

Tifa put her hands over her mouth and shook her head.

"We can't let him do that! We have to  _find her_!" she cried softly.

Tears were starting to form under Tifa's eyes as she trembled.

"Tifa. . ." Reeve said uneasily as he reached out.

"Is. . .is Shelke, okay, Reeve?" Tifa asked trying to regain her composure.

Reeve smiled a little.

"She is fine, too. She was shot, but she is receiving care and she will be fine."

"Is Vincent. . .going to be fine?" Tifa asked thinking back to Chaos's last visit to the Planet.

"So far, so good." Edward replied as he shook his head. "His body is doing well enough to regenerate the lost tissue and muscle on its own, so once that is finished Vincent should wake up and be able to move at will."

Tifa nodded silently as she thought about a thousand and one things all at once. She shook her head as she looked at Reeve.

"There were quite a few injured at the Shinra Building. . .and no one is sure about the next move. . ."

She stopped as she tried to grasp everything.

_Calm down, Tifa. You can handle this. Yuffie will be fine. Yuffie will be fine. . ._

_She'll be fine. . ._

"I'm going to look for Yuffie."

Reeve looked up at Edward with a start as Tifa turned to leave.

Edward frowned and shook his head.

"Tifa, wait." Reeve called as he walked forward.

Tifa stopped and turned as Reeve touched her arm. She winced a little as she saw the worry on his face.

"Reeve, Yuffie is like my little sister. If any of us had done  _some_ thing to keep her at that wedding reception weeks ago, none of this would be happening. Vincent wouldn't have Chaos, Shelke wouldn't be hurt, and Yuffie would not be in all this danger. Yuffie is still a child. She doesn't deserve this kind of torture. . .and that is exactly what this is. . .and I have already let one friend die at the hands of a madman."

Reeve sighed and shook his head.

"Tifa, I know you feel responsible for this, but it isn't your fault. It isn't  _anyone's_  fault. But going after Nicoli on your own is only going to do more harm than good. If you leave by yourself, you'll end up just like Yuffie or Vincent. Worse than that, Tifa, you could end up dead and Cloud would never forgive any of us. Think about that, Tifa. Vincent wouldn't want you to go by yourself, and neither would Cloud."

Tifa painfully looked at the older man before shaking her head.

"I. . .I can't just sit here. . .when she's in trouble."

"Tifa, you have two children at home that are expecting you to come back alive." Reeve warned firmly. "Doing something brash is not going to help Yuffie. In fact, it makes the situation more dangerous."

"Then I guess we'll have to tag along and supervise then, won't we?"

Reeve looked up with a start as the white double doors swung open again and three silhouettes stepped into the bright light of the hallway.

Tifa smiled a little as she looked at Reeve.

"I didn't plan on fighting him alone, Reeve." she said softly. "I knew Cloud wouldn't have allowed it."

"And that's why he sent us." Cid Highwind said with a small frown.

Nanaki cleared his throat and sat on the floor in front of Barret Wallace as he smiled.

"As Tifa said, Cloud entrusted us to watch out for her while he was investigating the trouble at the Shinra Building."

Barret nodded and lifted his arm.

"We'll find that demon totin' bastard and make him pay. Only  _we're_  allowed to mess with Yuffie."

Reeve smiled helplessly and looked at Tifa with a shake of his head.

Tifa smiled.

"I was hoping to see Vincent, Reeve, but if we can get a handle on  _where_  Yuffie is, that may be more beneficial to him when he's ready to take Nicoli on himself."

"You're probably right, Tifa." Reeve said with a sigh. "But, do be careful. . .Nicoli is more than what he seems."

Tifa shook her head.

"It's a risk I've taken before and I am prepared to take again, Reeve. Just promise me you'll take care of Vincent, Shelke, and anyone else that manages to find their way here. Promise me you'll find out how this happened."

Reeve nodded.

"I will."

"Dr. Shimura! Dr. Shimura!"

Edward turned with a start as another set of doors at the other end of the hallway came open and several nurses came tearing down the hall.

"Dr. Shimura!" gasped one as she shook her head. "Come quick! There is a trauma in Room C! It is a Turk recruit from Shinra base. . ."

Edward nodded and looked at everyone else.

"Well, it looks as though I have a bit more work to tend to. Tifa, you may find it beneficial to approach Wutai as if you were an enemy. I have a feeling that Nicoli has gone straight to the Emperor and turned the entire country against you. If you want any hope of finding Yuffie you had better do it quietly." he said looking at the martial artist with a firm frown.

Tifa nodded as Edward looked at Reeve.

"Reeve, you may want to come with me to find out what is going on from one of the others that brought this Turk into base. As for Vincent, all we can do is wait for Chaos to repair the damage done to Vincent's body. Good luck, all of you."

Reeve nodded and watched as Edward turned and hurried after the nurses that had called for him. He slowly turned back to Tifa and frowned.

"Tifa, please be careful. Avoid a fight with him if you can." he said softly.

Tifa smiled half heartedly.

"Cloud told me the same thing, but like I told  _him_. . .I can't promise anything." she said shrugging. "But, I know that we have to find Yuffie soon. If he infects her with those cells, who knows what will happen. I don't know anything about a special power, but I know that Yuffie is a dear friend, and I don't want to see her in more pain. Please let us know as soon as Vincent wakes up, okay, Reeve?"

Reeve nodded.

"I will." he replied.

Tifa smiled with a nod and turned away a second time. As she joined the other three at the end of the hall, she turned back around and winked with a thumbs up.

"No worries, Reeve. . .we'll set it right, this time."

Reeve was startled as the four AVALANCHE members slowly eased themselves out of the doorway and the doors swung shut. He smiled almost sadly as he looked down at the tile and tried to clear his thoughts.

The task proved impossible as a certain thought struck him and caused the commander to frown.

"Nicoli figured out where Yuffie was very quickly." he remarked softly. "It was as if he was watching the entire time. . .and once Vincent was a safe enough distance away, as well as incapacitated, he went after her."

Reeve looked up as he heard a loud commotion going on farther down the hall that Edward had darted down just moments ago. As he moved forward to see what was going on, several more thoughts buzzed through his head.

_If he infects Yuffie with those cells without fully knowing what he's dealing with. . .God. . .I couldn't imagine the consequences. . .her blood is in no condition to handle ANY foreign substance let alone JENOVA cells. . ._

Reeve felt as though he'd been struck by lightning as his feet came to a dead halt and his hand came out to the wall to support himself. His eyes searched the tile with shock as the sudden realization burned in his brain.

"My God," he breathed shaking his head, "he has no idea that her blood is nearly half of Vincent's blood. . .the fact that Vincent's blood was tested upon and infected from the beginning should have been enough to infect Yuffie, but all the tests we ran on her came back negative and she has been perfectly healthy until  _now_. . .but. . .Hojo's experiments were never in stone. Vincent, himself, doesn't even remember all that happened. . ."

Reeve looked up as a painful cry came from down the hall.

"She doesn't have what Nicoli wants anyway. When he realizes that he'll immediately go after the only other person who  _could_  have it by hurting. . .oh, no. . ."

Without another word, Reeve took off down the hall as the cries grew worse.

It was going all wrong.

From inside the room where the injured gunslinger lie recovering, monitors picked up speed and machines started to beep louder as Chaos rose to the consciousness of Vincent's mind.

_"Wake up, Prince Charming. . ._

_"WAKE UP!"_


	13. Forte

Nicoli glared with normal, darkened eyes as the Emperor of Wutai ranted about the condition of his daughter.

When he had finally returned to Wutai, he knew that he would need Godo's assistance. Even if he knew everything about the power he sought, he still needed assistance in fighting off the pests he knew were on their way. Now, he stood in Godo's throne room while Yuffie lie dying in her wing of the palace.

Nicoli frowned as Godo finally quieted and sat on his throne in a fury.

"Your majesty," Nicoli began as he bowed, "my fiancé has been injured by Vincent Valentine and been hidden from both of us by former members of AVALANCHE. Not only that, but when I was so very close to rescuing her safely, the likes of Rufus Shinra and Reeve Tuesti stepped in to hinder my attempts. Now, Yuffie is ill and struggling. I humbly beseech you, Godo. . .

" _. . .destroy them. . ._ "

Godo looked at Nicoli with a start as Nicoli's voice grew dark and sinister. A swirling hatred grew within the aged emperor as Nicoli's words burned a melody of anger in his mind. As he stood up, Nicoli smirked.

"You're right, Nicoli. My daughter is fighting for her life now because of all of this nonsense. Had that damned gunslinger not interfered when you tried to retrieve my daughter weeks ago, she'd be fine, you'd both be married, and I would be happily retired with grandchildren on the way! This has gone on long enough."

Nicoli watched with a grin as Godo turned to the lords in his chamber and ordered them to assemble his soldiers on Wutai's borders to keep out anyone not of Wutai descent or tied to the Wutai Royal Court. After Godo had finished stating his demands, Nicoli humbled his countenance and bowed again.

"Your majesty, it pains me to have to reduce you to these measures."

Godo shook his head, his pudgy face reddening with anger.

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. None of them would turn her over, and now this! To think she ran around with them for so long, that's the true terror of it!"

"Then, if I may, your majesty," Nicoli said looking at Godo, "may I please beg your leave to be with Yuffie. Perhaps my presence will aid in her recovery."

"Yes, yes. . .of course!" Godo said as one of his lords approached him. "As soon as she's well, we will attend to this marriage business and bringing her up to pass on her mother's strength. As for Shinra and Tuesti, leave them to me. . .I will take care of them, myself."

Nicoli bowed again as Godo started ranting to his council. He smirked as he turned around and slowly left the throne room.

"It's all going exactly to plan." he breathed. "Soon, everything will fall into place."

He slowly continued down dimly lit halls past servants and guards as he made his way to the far end of the palace. As he moved through the dark, Nicoli frowned. Something hadn't felt right when he had taken Yuffie. When he had picked her up in his arms she had felt useless and empty.

"Like something was missing." he hissed as a couple of maids bowed to him and let him pass through a set of large, double doors.

Not only that, but something from the ninja's touch alerted him to another anomaly he felt from within her body. It was hardly something a normal, human girl should possess but the longer he held her the more certain he became that Yuffie Kisaragi was not the same as before.

"Leave." Nicoli said heatedly as several maids moved around Yuffie's bedside.

"Yes, Lord Nicoli." each of them murmured with a bow.

Nicoli watched them with narrowed eyes as they took their leave and the large, sliding screen slid shut behind them separating Yuffie's bed chamber from the rest of her room.

The demon turned back to where Yuffie was softly gasping as dim light poured from the covered windows along the east wall. The room was normally a barren place since Yuffie hardly spent any time at the palace, but now its contents were full and there were basins of water and cloths everywhere. A horrible purple light moved through Nicoli's eyes as he stepped closer to the moaning ninja.

He watched for a moment as Yuffie gasped for breath and sweat continued to pour down the sides of her face. Her black hair, which had grown a bit longer in the past several weeks, was matted against her forehead as her pale skin contrasted sharply against the wet strands. Her fingers tensed every so often as her chest rose up and down. After a few more moments, Nicoli slowly eased himself down beside the ninja and glared.

His lips slowly neared Yuffie's as his body started to tremble.

There was a taste in her lips he had only tasted from one other kind of being. In his whole existence, he knew that only these beings carried this taste because of the blood that flowed through their veins.

Nicoli pulled his lips away from Yuffie's as the ninja jerked unconsciously and tears started falling from her eyes.

Purple flashes traveled through his irises as he reached out with a start and grabbed the woman beneath him by her neck. Yuffie made a pitiful gagging noise in her throat but remained limp as Nicoli stared at her with eyes filled with rage.

"You have  _his_  blood running through you, don't you, Yuffie!" Nicoli hissed hatefully.

He glared as he tightened his fingers around her neck. Yuffie made soft, gasping noises as her face turned a dangerous shade of pale blue.

"And. . ."

Nicoli's eyes widened with a start as he felt the feeling of emptiness he had felt before start creeping through him. He felt a painful stinging sensation enter his brain as he growled with hatred and forcefully let go of Yuffie's throat. The ninja fell back against the pillows and continued to gasp as Nicoli drew his hand back and held his wrist. Small currents of green passed through his eyes as he closed them and concentrated.

". . .so, Andrina. . ." he breathed. ". . .you want to protect this woman."

Nicoli's eyes were a bright purple as they quickly opened. He grinned maniacally as he laughed softly.

"You are as foolish as the rest of them. I will destroy everything, just as I promised Vincent."

He looked down at Yuffie as he slowly stood up and reached inside his jacket. A smile crossed his lips as he drew a covered needle filled with a deep, ruby red substance.

"You didn't know what you were doing, Yuffie, I will admit that. You gave Vincent the means, but not the way. As unfortunate as this is, I know he will come for you. I know he will try to save you from me. And even though I will not wield as much power as I had hoped, when he returns what you have given him, your true strength will show. Unfortunately for both of us, Yuffie, I'm going to have to see what will happen now that the entire plan's changed." Nicoli said softly as he looked past the needle in his hand.

"Of course, I could blame you for impaling yourself that night but perhaps it is that wretched gunslinger's fault for giving up blood he knew would prevent me from doing anything further to you. I don't honestly think he saw the JENOVA idea coming. No, I do believe that was a surprise even to  _him_ , but demon's blood in the body of the Kisaragi Heir is not something I can use or, at this point, remove. You see, dear Yuffie, demons cannot take from other demons without incurring dreadful consequences and I fear that Chaos is upset enough with me as it is. So I am going to do the only thing I know will incur the wrath of all of your ancestors and every living AVALANCHE member here."

Yuffie cried out in her sleep as Nicoli sat down beside her again and pulled her arm up. He uncovered the needle and looked at Yuffie with a small frown.

"What comes after this, Yuffie, is almost entirely in your hands. You've spent your entire life never knowing what you're capable of and I think it's time to unleash the power you hold. Whether you are a human child gifted with incredible power or a horrible demon twisted by what I'm forcing upon you, you will show this Planet what it has come to fear. . ."

Yuffie's body jerked as the needle in Nicoli's hand slid under the skin in her right forearm. Tears slowly stopped falling from her eyes as the red substance in the syringe finally emptied into her arm. She didn't move as Nicoli removed the intrusion and recapped it. Nicoli wiped the blood from her arm and turned it inward as he stood up and looked down at the ninja barely breathing below him.

"Regardless of what happens now, he will be sorry that he messed with me and tested what I was capable of." he said softly as he watched Yuffie's face tighten with pain. "Between what he's done to you, and what I've done to you you'll never be the same, and that pain is worth everything. Now you have an idea about what life has been like for me."

As he slowly turned away and made to walk to the door, a thought struck the demon.

"If I leave you here, it will be too easy. It will be too easy for Vincent, and much too peaceful a death for you. No, Yuffie. I think a  _grand_  send off in the presence of your brethren is the only way for you to go."

Yuffie's head fell over Nicoli's arm as the demon came back and carefully slid his arms underneath her body. Nicoli lifted the ninja in his arms and felt the fever spread through his body from Yuffie's as green sparks ran through his violet irises. Yuffie's heartbeat was slow and weak in his ears as Nicoli smirked and shook his head.

"You have become a problem, Andrina, just as you promised." he breathed softly

As his wings came out from behind him and he hissed with hatred, Nicoli grinned.

"If you want to battle me to the death, sister, I'll be waiting!"

The paper screens shielding Yuffie's room came open in a frenzy as Nicoli laughed maniacally and blasted through the east wall. He quickly rose into the air with the ninja in tow as the maids cried out and looked at the shattered palace wall with terror. They watched Nicoli's purple wings beat up and into the sky for a few seconds before one maid turned to the others and ordered them to go for help.

As the maids took off, a small bundle of lilac blooms fell from the air and slowly wilted in the spot where Yuffie had lain. Their petals slowly turned black as a sad, painful cry softly echoed against the shattered walls.


	14. Staccato

"Just get out of the way!"

Edward looked at the small, bloody woman clenching her partner's face with a start as she snapped at several nurses trying to clean Vox's wounds. His eyes showed their amusement as the nurses gasped and stared at the Turk standing at the head of the operating table. He quickly made a move to ease the situation as he looked at his nurses.

"Ladies, step aside for right now. I will help Miss. . ."

Rina felt Edward's eyes on her as his words trailed off. She winced a little and looked up at him with tense, green eyes.

"Andrina Patrice. The Turks call me Rina."

Edward was startled but regained his composure enough to look at the nurses and shake his head.

"I will help Miss Patrice take care of our young ward. Wait outside the room until I come for you. In the meantime, find Reeve and tell him to speak with Commanders Rude and Reno about this situation, understood?"

"Yes, doctor." murmured the nurses.

As they filed out of the room, each shooting Rina a nasty glance as they went, Edward sighed and looked back at Rina as she concentrated on Vox. He slowly moved back to the table and looked at the heart and blood monitors his nurses had managed to get on Vox before Rina had ordered them away.

"Well, young lady, if your skills are going to be of any use, you are going to have to at least let me take those barbs out of his chest."

Rina looked up with a start as Edward secured a mask over his face and moved forward. She watched as he pulled a tray of tools to his side and looked up at her.

"You. . .aren't afraid." she commented suspiciously.

Edward's eyes denoted the smile beneath his mask as he shook his head.

"No. I have a keene ability to sense the difference between "good" demons and "bad" ones." he replied softly. "The name does say a lot, but General Patrice was never a shy face in the medical industry."

Rina accepted this comment with a small nod and looked down at Vox as his chest rose up and down.

"I have reversed much of the poison damage to the heart, lungs, and major organs." she said softly as she continued to concentrate. "But the poison is still being fed into his bloodstream by the barbs. Can you get them out without him bleeding to death?"

"I won't be completely sure until I take a look." Edward replied as he moved the light above him. "How long will you be able to sustain him like that? You look injured yourself."

Rina frowned.

"Before my father and brother sold me into slavery, Nicoli enjoyed torturing me quite a bit. I have grown resistant to many of his attacks. But in relation to others I am not sure how long that strength will last."

"Well, then, I had better get to work." Edward stated. "Here. . ."

Rina looked up and raised an eyebrow as Edward gently slid a pair of protective goggles over her eyes. She looked at him with surprise as Edward took a pair of scissors and cut through Vox's shirt and jacket to see the extent of the barbs stuck in Vox's shoulder and upper chest.

Noticing Rina's gaze, Edward looked up at her with curiosity.

"Something wrong, Rina?"

Rina blushed and shook her head.

"No. I. . .the glasses. . .I'm confused."

Edward laughed softly as he pulled the fabric as far away from the wounds as he could as he put the scissors back on the tray beside him.

"I'm going to cut these barbs down to a manageable size and I would hate to see you lose an eye because of it." he said simply.

"Oh." Rina whispered as Edward picked up a small, saw like tool.

She concentrated on Vox as Edward pulled a protective piece of cloth across a set of bars that fit into holes set into the operating table. The top bar rested above Vox's neck and the cloth shielded his head from anything happening on the other side of it. Rina looked up at Edward as he put on a pair of goggles similar to the ones she wore.

Edward nodded.

"You might want to duck your head. Try talking to him. I'm sure he is just as uneasy as you are."

Rina did as Edward suggested as the loud, whining noise of the saw filled the room. She shuddered as the teeth of the saw dug into her brother's weapons and began cutting the barbs in half. She could feel Vox's heart rate quicken and his breaths come in short, uneven gasps as Edward patiently continued his work. She slowly lowered her lips to Vox's ear being sure to keep her fingers firmly against his face.

"Vox, it's all right." she breathed in her gentle accent. "You are going to be fine. There is a good doctor helping you and I am right here. I'm not going anywhere, Vox, so don't give up on me."

Rina's eyes narrowed as she heard Edward mumble something above her.

"I think. . .I think I have fallen in love with you and you would just be horrible if you died and never gave me the chance to tell you to your face."

Rina lifted her head as Edward shut the saw off and Vox's heart rate slowed down to a normal pace. Vox's breathing began to even as tears slowly worked their way out of his closed eyes. Rina smiled a little before looking at Edward with surprise.

Edward set the saw aside and threw the barbs he had cut down on another, empty tray. After their size had been diminished, the barbs did not look as formidable, though the wounds still remained a bright red against Vox's pale skin. As Edward removed his goggles and set them aside, Rina's eyes traveled across Vox's chest with a start.

"Well, now." Edward said as he prodded the wounds in Vox's shoulder carefully. "It doesn't look near as bad now that we've cut the little bastards down to size."

He looked up at Rina with warm eyes and raised an eyebrow as he saw tears slowly running down her cheeks.

"Rina? What's wrong?"

When Rina didn't answer, he followed her gaze to where it rested on several, circular scars in Vox's chest. Edward traced the scars to several others that were long, repetitive lines that ran across his ribs and sides. He looked up at Rina as she trembled and shook her head.

"I see." he said softly.

Rina remained silent as Edward cleared his throat and picked up a few more tools.

"Bullet wounds, it looks like." Edward said as he leaned over Vox's body. "Pretty scarred over, so I would say that he received them several years ago. The longer ones, I would assume, are from a whip or a rope or something of that nature. Barbaric, but he seems to have handled it well enough."

"He's only 19. . ."

Edward looked at Rina as she barely spoke above a whisper.

"A lot can happen to you when you are young." he responded.

Rina turned away and looked down at Vox's face as he remained unconscious. Edward turned and called out a name and the door to the room instantly came open. Two nurses walked back into the room and went to his side as he explained to them what was going to happen. Rina remained silent and kept her head down as a nurse stepped up beside her and gave her a sympathetic smile while assisting Edward in the removal of the first barb.

"Rina, this is Maria and Yuko. They are my best nurses and they are going to help make sure I can keep my promise not to let this young man bleed to death." Edward said aloud.

"Vox."

"Hmm?" Edward asked looking up.

Rina looked at him with a small wince as she kept her hands on Vox's face.

"His name is Vox."

Edward's eyes narrowed warmly as he nodded.

"Vox. Of course. Well, Rina, this may be the longest leg of our journey, so you may want to talk him through it."

Rina nodded and tried to remain out of the way as she leaned down and put her lips against Vox's ear again. Her cheek gently pressed against his as she softly breathed into the concave of his ear. She closed her eyes and smiled against his flesh as she felt Vox's heartbeat and heard his breathing through her fingertips. Her uncanny ability to "feel" sound was working its way through her partner as she flexed her fingers against his face.

"You are a beautiful person, inside and out, Vox." Rina breathed gently. "Why didn't you ever tell me we shared the same story?"

Rina listened to Vox's breathing for a moment before opening her eyes a little and smiling again.

"You didn't have an easy life either, did you, Vox? You suffered in a different way, but you suffered just the same. We are more alike than I knew. But, but  _you_  knew, didn't you, Vox? You already knew most of my story when you made me your charge. Yet, despite all of that, you still managed to live a happy, dedicated life."

Rina looked up as the nurse beside her carefully took the bloody barb out of Edward's hand and placed it in a separate tray away from the table. She winced for a moment before looking back at Vox. She carefully brushed his hair out of his face as sweat started forming at the young man's temples. She returned her fingers to their places on Vox's cheek as she shook her head.

"I envy you, Vox." she whispered. "You are so much stronger than I am. The things you must have seen, the people that must have hurt you. . .even though they left scars in you, you still managed to live onward. Meanwhile, all I've done is hide. I am weak and selfish, Vox. If I wasn't, you wouldn't be hurt and my mother wouldn't be dead, but that is the truth of it. I am a horrible person. When Shinra recruited me I never believed I would last more than one day. I thought I'd be thrown out as soon as they took me in and I probably would have been, if it hadn't been for you."

Rina felt Vox take a slow, deep breath as another barb was lifted from his chest.

Tears started sliding down her face as she smiled bittersweetly.

"You have been the only other person that has ever defended me, Vox, and you nearly died to save my pitiful life. My mother died trying to save me. She's the reason I lived until you, Vox. When she died I took a vow of silence. I thought that if I never spoke again no one would know what I was. I haven't spoken a word until just a few hours ago. But when I saw my brother holding you like that, I remembered my mother and how she looked before my father killed her. I will never forget my mother's last words. . ."

Rina painfully trembled as she shook her head.

". . . _please, Rina. Get out of here. . .run away!_ "

Another barb fell into the tray behind Rina as she opened her shining green eyes and flexed her fingertips against Vox's cheeks. She felt the resistance building up from within her as she heard Vox's heartbeat growing stronger. She pressed her cheek against Vox's skin as she continued to tremble.

"I let my mother die, Vox, because I ran away like she had asked. I refused to let my brother do the same to you. I refused to let him take you. I vowed silence with my mother, and I broke that vow with you only because you were the only other human that had ever shown me kindness. You were the only one I've cared about since she died. So, you see, I couldn't have just run away. I owed it to her. I owed it to you. Most of all, I owed it to myself because now, I promise. . ."

Rina's head slowly started to come up as Edward freed the last of the barbs from Vox's chest and quickly moved Maria and Yuko out of the way as a bright, green force started to emit from the center of Rina's body. Rina's face slowly turned toward the ceiling as her bright, green eyes lit up. Her hands clutched at Vox's face as she smiled faintly.

". . .I promise that you will be the strongest Turk that has ever lived. Right under Vincent Valentine, Vox. . .your story will reign. I give back what my brother could not take, and for you, Vox, I will accept the consequences."

Edward watched with a small smile as the young woman's lips parted and barely a sound echoed out of her throat. But as she stood there, the green force behind her irises and the force building up inside of her heart quickly took off through her blood and down into her fingertips.

Vox's body jerked and his back arched as his heart rate accelerated. A deep, purple poison slowly surfaced in every vein of his body as Rina continued to draw it up and out of the man in her hands. Though the wounds in Vox's shoulder were still bleeding and open, the poison that had been injected into him was becoming non existent. All the while, the purple veins were slowly being drawn into Rina's hands and up into her body.

Tears fell from Rina's eyes as her lips remained open and the purple trailed up her arms and into her heart where it burned fiercely for a moment before disappearing with a horrible screech. As the last of the purple traces left Vox's body, Rina's lips shut abruptly and her eyes dulled instantly.

Edward came forward quickly as Rina's hands fell from Vox's face and she crumpled to the ground gasping and crying. He stripped the gloves from his hands and threw them on the tray with the bloody barbs in them as he knelt down and turned Rina onto her back as gently as he could. He frowned as he noted the green trails disappearing from view as Rina gazed up at him with hazy, green eyes.

". . .he'll. . .be. . .okay. . ."

Rina's voice was soft and hard to hear as she painfully gasped for breath and looked up at Edward. She winced as the nurse with black hair knelt down beside Edward and gently touched his shoulder.

"Yuko, take Rina down the hall and tend to her injuries." Edward said softly as Rina closed her eyes. "I will finish sewing up Vox's wounds and I will take him to recovery myself."

"Yes, of course." the nurse said softly.

Edward helped Yuko lift Rina to her feet as Maria began prepping Vox for the remainder of the surgery. As Yuko eased Rina to the door, Edward sighed and shook his head.

"I'm getting too old for this demon business." he said softly.

"Doctor, the patient is ready."

Edward sighed again as Maria handed him a new pair of gloves and he turned to face Vox. As he put on the gloves and Maria handed him a needle and another tool, Edward looked over the cloth screen at the gasping, wincing Turk.

"You are lucky, young man." he said softly as he began working. "You may have the scars of this one, but you certainly won't have the after effects. You'll have to remember to thank her when you wake up."

As Edward continued with his work, Vox's heart rate and breathing returned to normal and tears slowly slid down the sides of the young Turk's face.


	15. Calando

"What in the hell happened?"

Reeve sighed softly and looked at Reno as the red head angrily put his arm up against the wall and looked down at the floor.

"Reno, I am not sure, myself. What I do know is that Nicoli is moving extremely fast now. I wish I could tell you more."

Rude looked at his partner as Reno slowly stood up straight and turned around. Reno's eyes narrowed a little as he shook his head.

"Is Vox going to be okay?"

"Edward seems confident that he will recover." Reeve replied.

He watched as Reno sighed and turned away.

"What about Vincent?" Rude asked.

"Vincent has been dealing with issues related to this one for some time, now." Reeve said cautiously. "Reuniting with Chaos a second time has been hard on him. He is fine right now, but when he realizes what has been happening, I do not know what it will do to his condition."

Rude nodded and looked at Reno as the red head stopped moving and frowned.

"If Vincent has this power you are talking about, Reeve, then what is going to happen when Nicoli realizes that Yuffie  _doesn't_  have it?"

Reeve sighed uneasily.

"I don't know."

Reno nodded faintly and turned away again

"But Tifa and the others have gone to find her." Reeve said with another sigh. "I am sure that Wutai is on its guard, and with Nicoli as unpredictable as he is, I think it is safe to assume that Yuffie is in grave danger."

"Is it true he got hold of the JENOVA cells in Vincent's old dame?" Reno asked softly.

Reeve was silent for a few moments before sighing and nodding.

"Yes."

"And, do you honestly think he would infect the Princess of Wutai with those wretched cells without knowing what reaction they would have with this power she carries?" Reno asked again.

"It isn't a matter of  _would_  he, I'm afraid."

The three men in the hall turned with a start as another voice echoed toward them.

"Sir!" Reno said as Rufus Shinra frowned with Tseng and Elena at his sides.

"We have just received reports coming out of Wutai that a winged demon has stolen the Princess and that the borders are being sealed off." Rufus said with a small shake of his head. "I am pretty sure we can guess who the demon is, and that if he has started running, that our dear ninja is no longer herself."

Reno's eyes portrayed his emotions even though the red head vainly tried to hide them as Reeve sighed and shook his head.

"Realized he lost the prize so he decided to poison it for everyone else then, has he?"

"It looks like it." Rufus replied gravely. "If he is on the run, he knows that we are coming after him, and that without the means to the power, he will do whatever he can to destroy his enemies."

"This is  _bullshit_!" Reno yelled as he slammed his palm against the wall. "Goddammit! She's just a kid! She didn't do anything to deserve this!  _Vincent_  didn't do anything to deserve this!  _Goddammit_!"

"Reno."

Reno ignored his partner as his blue eyes shimmered with the onset of what looked like tears.

"First Vox and Rina, whom, I'll admit, got on my nerves a lot but it was only because I liked the little brats. Now, Vincent and Yuffie. . .Jesus Christ, I mean, who else has to get plowed over before we take this fucker out in a blaze of fuckin' hell fire!"

"Reno." Rude repeated with a little more force.

"His anger is well marked, Rude." Rufus replied softly. "This is unfortunate for a variety of reasons."

Rude frowned as Elena looked up at Rufus.

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked.

"Yuffie's strength isn't just a materia charm in a locket." Rufus replied as he walked forward a little. "It is a current of energy that lives in her body. Much like the Lifestream forms a bond through each of us, Yuffie's stream is connected to each and every soul that has held it before her. All of the veins of Lifestream running through  _her_  body are so concentrated and intertwined that if she were to unleash her true potential, she could act as a Doomsday device all on her own."

Reeve was startled.

"How did you know all that?"

Rufus laughed bitterly.

"My father knew a lot more about ancient history than he let on. Many of the older testaments of life on this planet were housed in Shinra's main building before everything collapsed. I have had teams working on recovering anything left in Midgar after you and your WRO cleaned out Deepground. In fact, Reeve, I am surprised Shelke did not tell you herself. She has been working on it, too."

Reeve was silent as Reno shook his head and glared.

"So, what happens now that the bastard has injected Yuffie with JENOVA cells? Huh? What happens to  _her_?"

"Just like with the Geostigma or with any foreign anomaly in the blood, the body will try to heal itself." Rufus replied. "However, as I mentioned, Yuffie's body is more connected to the Lifestream than any living person currently still  _alive_. I am only assuming that once the JENOVA cells adapt to the conditions within Yuffie's body, the power within her will react and release itself in a defensive gesture. If left uncontained or uninhibited, I do not know."

Reno glared hatefully, his blue eyes blazing. He stared at Rufus for a moment before slowly turning away. He remained unmoving for a moment.

" _Goddamn, mother fucker_!"

Elena jumped and Rude sighed softly as Reno's hand slammed into the wall and made small, deep imprints in the white surface. Reeve shook his head and watched with old, weary eyes as the angry Turk breathed heavily and continued to curse.

"My God, with all of the cursing and punching going on out here I thought Cid Highwind was back."

Reeve turned and everyone slowly moved aside as Yuko came out of a room pushing a wheelchair with the injured Rina in it. As she passed, Reno looked at the pale, slumped woman in the chair and frowned.

"You're gonna make it, Pigtail Princess." he said softly.

His eyes narrowed as he glared.

"And you are going to  _get_ that  _bastard_  for everything he's  _EVER_  done to you, you hear me!"

Yuko looked up at Reno as Rina's hand slowly came out and touched her hand on the wheel of the chair.

Reno was startled as Rina looked up with hazy, green eyes still blazing.

"You. . .you can count on  _that_. . .Commander Reno. . ."

Reno remained silent as Edward came up from behind Maria who was pushing a gurney with the repaired Vox lying on it. As she moved past, Edward smiled at everyone.

"So, it isn't Cid, just the foul mouthed child Turk. Ah, well, no harm done, yet. Keep punching walls like that, Reno, and you are going to lose more than fingers." Edward warned as he shook his head.

"Is Vox going to be all right, Edward?" Reeve asked softly.

"Of course he is." Edward replied as Maria and Yuko wheeled both, young Turks into the same room. "Rina is a gifted child. She has great ability, but little confidence. She'll do well in Shinra's Turk unit when her brother is disposed of and Vox recovers."

"There has been trouble in Wutai." Reeve said looking at Edward with an exaggerated gaze.

"I'm sure there has been." Edward said with little surprise. "Nicoli is far from stupid. Most demons are. Once he figured out there was nothing to be gained from a child who could not access her own strength, he decided to force it from her instead. However, he will get what he wants in the end."

"What do you mean?" Rude asked as Reno stood beside him with a startled, pale face.

Edward frowned.

"He needs Yuffie's successor so that the power transfers. He needs the means and the way and he knows that once Vincent realizes Yuffie is in irreparable danger, he will come to save her. In the end, Nicoli will get the chaos that he wanted, and if Yuffie is not stopped, the destruction that he wanted as well."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Reno finally asked. "We need to stop that bastard."

"Even if we could get there, we would only be in the way." Tseng replied softly.

"Cloud has gone to join the others on the outskirts of Wutai in hopes of tracking Nicoli's whereabouts." Rufus said. "Until Vincent and Rina can join the true fight to be fought, that is the best we can hope for at this point."

"How do they plan on finding them?" Reno asked incredulously. "He's a freakin' demon!"

Edward smiled faintly.

"The same way  _all_  JENOVA cells find one another." he replied simply.

Reeve sighed and shook his head.

"Edward, do you have a rough estimation of how long it would take JENOVA cells from Lucrecia Crescent to adapt to Yuffie Kisaragi's blood?"

Edward shook his head.

"Could be hours, could be days, I don't really know. JENOVA was never really something we studied thoroughly enough to make any kind of assumptions. And, on that note, we have to remember that it isn't just Yuffie's blood that JENOVA is infecting. It's Vincent's as well." he said. "But, if anything can be said about the warriors in this battle, it is that what has been done has a chance to be  _undone_. Perhaps it is out of human hands now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Reno asked.

"It means that it is up to Chaos."

Reeve's head came up as the familiar voice reached his ears. He moved forward a little as Shelke eased herself along the hallway with her arm braced against the wall. The white gown covering her pale frame contrasted sharply with the bright, azure eyes and auburn hair as her bare feet moved silently across the floor. She stumbled a little as she stood on her own and thanked Rufus and Tseng as they steadied her. She looked at everyone in the hallway with a firm conviction as she frowned.

"It's up to the forces of the Lifestream in Yuffie's body. It is up to her ancestors. . .the guardians of the power. It is up to Rina to find the strength in herself to fight back. Most of all," she whispered as she painfully took a breath, "it's up to Vincent and Yuffie. Chaos is a part of Vincent. . .it will depend on Vincent's will. . ."

Reeve painfully walked forward and gently put his hands against Shelke's arms as she started gasping and trembling. He gently brushed Shelke's hair out of her face as the young woman closed her eyes and put her head against his shoulder.

Reno was silent for a moment before glaring and turning away.

"Reno? Reno, where are you going?" Elena asked as the red head started walking.

"Damage control." the Turk replied heatedly.

Elena was startled as Rude adjusted his glasses and looked at the others before slowly turning and following his partner.

Rufus smiled a little.

"Hmm, and I thought they wouldn't play nice." he mused softly. "How soon before Vincent can recover himself, Edward?" he said louder.

Edward sighed.

"Quite frankly, Rufus, that is the hot topic of the night." he replied simply. "His body wasn't ready for this, and if he goes out and battles Nicoli like I think he might, then there may not be enough left to patch up like last time. I'm sorry, Rufus. . .but I'm afraid it really  _is_  up to him."

Rufus nodded and looked at Reeve as the WRO Commander gently held Shelke's face in his hands and spoke softly to her. He watched as Shelke shook her head and repeated something in a different language to which his friend painfully shook his head.

"Tseng, leave the Third Piece."

Tseng nodded once and turned away as Edward looked at Rufus.

"Do you think he will take that route?" Edward said with a frown.

Rufus smiled faintly and shook his head.

"The world has lost too many lovers already. It would be a shame not to give one of my best teachers a fair chance at reclaiming what I helped take from him. After all, Edward, he  _did_  take Chaos back for the very same reason. Why _shouldn't_  it work?"

Edward's frown deepened as Rufus looked at Reeve.

"There may be something more I can do to help our comrades out in the Wutai borders." Rufus said with a grin. "In fact, I am almost sure there is. I will take Tseng and Elena and leave Rude and Reno with you. If we make it out of this alive, Reeve, I will make sure Reno repairs your wall."

Reeve looked up at Rufus and laughed a little as he shook his head.

"You never change, either, Rufus. I have to admire that, I suppose."

Rufus bowed a little.

"To this what a passing tide is simply the dawn and the dusk to the rocks beneath the surface of its pull." he replied mysteriously. "Till we make ends meet again, Commander."

"President." Reeve responded with a shake of his head.

He watched with a small smile as Rufus turned and walked the opposite direction with Elena behind him. He adverted his attention to Shelke as she painfully wheezed and clutched his jacket.

"Are. . .are they gone?"

"Yes."

"Good. . .because I cannot stand anymore. . .and I did not want to embarrass you."

Reeve quickly eased Shelke's arm over his head and around his neck as he carefully picked her up in his arms. Her eyes were narrowed in a painful wince as her forehead gently fell against the side of Reeve's face.

Reeve frowned and held Shelke tighter.

"You are  _never_  an embarrassment, Shelke Rui.  _Never_."

"Sorry. . .Reeve. . ."

Reeve winced before looking up at Edward who smiled a little.

"She needs to be resting. She's lost a lot of blood and I am sure that bullet wound hurts quite a bit. She's fought her part of this battle, and so have you." Edward said looking at Reeve with a nod. "Take her back to her room and make sure she stays there. She's right about one thing. . .and that is that Vincent will have to decide the fate of his own destiny. He may get his chance at redemption."

Reeve looked at Shelke and held the woman closer before looking at Edward and nodding.

"I hope so, Edward."

As he moved past the tall, older man, Reeve Tuesti stopped and stared at the white tile.

Everything had gone wrong, but evil had only one, last AVALANCHE member to touch, and now she was suffering the most.

"Edward, you will respect the wishes that Vincent Valentine has left with us should anything happen to him?"

"If something were to happen to Vincent, Reeve, I hardly think us  _humans_  would have a say in the matter." Edward countered softly. "But, yes. . .in accordance with Vincent's final wishes, what has to be done, will be."

Reeve nodded silently as Shelke's fingers clutched his jacket.

"Second Piece, then?"

"Only if you'll allow it, Commander."

"Permission granted." Reeve responded almost bitterly. "And, Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever call me that again."

Edward smiled a little and shook his head as Reeve slowly walked down the hallway and disappeared through a door. After he had lost sight of him, Edward softly sighed and turned to walk the other way. As he walked, he felt an ominous feeling pass through his blood. He sighed again as he made his way to the first room he had been in and shook his head. He didn't even hesitate as he walked into the room where shouts and cries were echoing toward him. He didn't bother with gloves or a mask as he walked into the operating room where three nurses were vainly trying to get Vincent Valentine to lie down.

"Let me go!" came Vincent's raspy, disoriented voice.

His eyes tried to focus as an eerie gold ring surrounded his normally crimson irises. He painfully winced as every part of his body burned with pain.

_You're dying, Vincent. After 50 years, you are finally getting what you want. You're dying._

Vincent angrily shook his head and pushed another nurse away as the voice in his head continued to speak to him.

"No." he breathed softly. "NO!"

"Vincent, that is enough, and you know whatever he's saying is the truth. Stop this foolishness and settle down, at once!"

The gunslinger stopped moving as Edward's form came from the shadows and stepped up in front of him. The beeping from the machines grew in intensity as the nurses surrounding Vincent all stopped and looked at Edward.

"I am sorry, Dr. Shimura." one of the nurses said as she bowed. "He woke up so suddenly and immediately tried getting up. We tried to slow him down, but. . ."

"It's all right, Diana." Edward replied looking at Vincent with a frown. "You did fine. I will take it from here. Was anyone hurt?"

"No, Doctor."

"Good. You may leave." Edward said gently.

Diana bowed again and turned to the other two nurses as they followed suit and left the room.

Edward turned his head to the side and listened for their departure before sighing and turning back to the gunslinger sitting up on the operating table. The light reflected off of Edward's ID badge as he slowly walked forward and frowned at Vincent. He was silent for a few moments as Vincent breathed heavily and the gunslinger's heart rate echoed quickly on the EKG machine beside him. Finally, Edward shook his head and looked at Vincent.

"What do you think harassing my nurses is going to accomplish, Vincent?"

"I need to find Yuffie." Vincent stated with a small glare. "She's in danger, I know it."

"I am sure you do." Edward replied softly. "Not only because you care about her, but because of that object you refuse to put down."

Vincent slowly looked down at his right hand as he noted the shimmering, materia charm from between his fingers. He watched as the color continued to get brighter as a deep, ominous feeling spread through his veins. A sudden panic crept into his body as the Protomateria shimmered from the nearly filled hole in his chest. Vincent's crimson eyes trembled with the onset of tears as he began to recognize the feeling in his heart. As Edward spoke, his body started to shake.

"Yuffie is in grave danger, indeed. Nicoli stormed Neo Shinra in his demon form and took the entire base by surprise. He injured several hundred and a few Turks in the process. One of them was one of your top students, I believe. In addition to that, it was a slight misfortune that one of the new Turk recruits happened to be Nicoli's sister. She had been tested upon as well and contains a power particularly useful in counteracting Nicoli's abilities. I say that her sudden appearance is unfortunate because she has been trying to run from him since he assumed his father's place. However, I feel that she will be a valuable asset to you once you go out to chase Nicoli down. He certainly does deserve it."

"Where is he?"

Edward stopped and looked at Vincent as the gunslinger stared at the floor.

"Wutai, we think. Cloud and your other friends have gone ahead to try and stall the inevitable, but they may end up getting hurt if they aren't careful." he replied.

"And, Yuffie?"

Vincent looked up at Edward with a painful wince as silence returned his question. He shook his head and slowly completed his original task of standing upright as he looked at Edward.

"What of Yuffie, Edward?" he rasped. "I know about the JENOVA cells. I know he got them. Tell me. . .what of Yuffie?"

"He figured out it was your blood in her body." Edward finally said with a cold frown. "What do you think a demon would do when another demon blatantly marks his territory when that territory is avidly sought?"

Vincent started to tremble as the machines still attached to his body started beeping louder.

"The materia is reacting to Yuffie's awakening to her true power." Edward continued. "I do not know how long it will take JENOVA cells to interact with a power older than the dirt on this planet. But I do know that her body will not be able to handle it. The battle will kill her and her true potential will run this planet into oblivion. If she is not stopped, she will die and take everyone else with her."

Edward frowned and closed his eyes as Vincent's arm shot out and knocked over the equipment sitting beside him. He shook his head as Vincent cried out in a form of agony he learned from Chaos's presence as the IVs that had been in Vincent's arms went clamoring to the floor. After a few minutes, Edward slowly opened his eyes and looked at the heaving gunslinger as Vincent bent over the operating table with trails of blood on his arms and medical equipment surrounding his legs.

Edward sighed as he crossed his arms.

"It took me forever to con that equipment out of Reeve. How in the hell am I supposed to explain to him our EKG machine was destroyed by ignorance and keep a straight face?"

"Edward, I need to know how far I can go."

Edward frowned as Vincent slowly gasped for breath and turned his face toward him. He watched the golden red eyes gleam at him from underneath the bright, surgical light as he slowly shook his head.

"That's really up to you, Vincent." he answered softly. "How strong is your will?"

"How  _far_  can I go?"

"The way I see it, you could survive one more battle as Chaos." Edward said with an irritated sigh. "You could take one, more epic leap into the Lifestream, but without the Infinity, you will never come back out of it like you are now. But it isn't just about  _your_  body now, Vincent. It may have started out that way, but now there is someone else that matters in this equation. There is another body at stake. If yours quits, where does that leave hers?"

Vincent glared a little and looked at the pulsing stone in his hand. He could feel the cries of Yuffie's ancestors as the power started to grow stronger within him.

Yuffie was dying.

He knew that, now, without a doubt.

His ninja was dying.

He frowned as he tightened his fingers around the stone and felt Chaos rise to his consciousness.

_"One more chance to set it right, Vincent. No promises, but if you trust me enough, I think I can save her for you."_

"What good is it if I cannot be there like  _I_  promised?" Vincent asked bitterly as Chaos's voice spoke in his head.

_"I am a demon, Vincent, and you are only a man. Don't be a martyr."_

Vincent painfully closed his eyes as his heart skipped several beats and he took a deep breath. As his body regained composure, he slowly stood up straight and faced Edward with narrow, crimson eyes.

"Reeve and Rufus gave you permission to use the Infinity?"

"No. Rufus told Tseng to leave the Third Piece and  _Reeve_  gave his permission for release of the Second Piece. Pending you are still in possession of the Cornerstone, then, yes; you have permission."

"Will it work?"

"I suppose that depends on you and Chaos, Vincent." Edward replied sighing and crossing his arms. "Your will, your way, your end. The Triple Infinity is untested but a finely crafted instrument that may allow us to learn more about the field of energy that surrounds our planet without disturbing it or ourselves. Perhaps with your die hard resolution and Chaos's wisdom of the Lifestream, you will survive another time. But I highly doubt that your body, as it is, will make it out. I'm sorry, Vincent."

Vincent was silent for a few moments as he felt Chaos shift back into his subconscious without another word. The gunslinger painfully closed his eyes and trembled as he felt Yuffie's suffering through the anomalies they shared in blood. He could feel the looming threat of destruction hanging heavy in his soul as his body continued to stand.

There had been so much pain in his life. For nearly forty years there had been nothing but pain. For the latter five of those forty years, there had been a reason to survive the pain. There had been a body other than his own that he cared enough about to protect with everything he had left. He had always known that one day his body might give up. He knew that with all of the tests, experiments, and demons his body had been plagued with, the decaying tissue that had been reanimated may one day begin to return to the mush it had become. But he had never seriously believed it would happen. Perhaps it was blind stupidity. Maybe, it was just the way it was meant to be. But whatever the reason, Vincent Valentine had never thought he would have anything to lose when it came to dying.

But he did.

Vincent had Yuffie and her body was as much his problem as his own body. His blood was the only one available at the time Yuffie was fighting for her life nearly two months ago. It had been a split decision to drain his dying flesh of what kept him alive to save her life. He didn't know what effects it would have and neither did Edward, but extensive blood tests had shown that whatever plagued Vincent's body was in no way affecting Yuffie's body.

Vincent's eyes came open with a start as he slowly opened his fingers and looked down at the materia in his palm. As the green pulses increased and shimmered up at him, the gunslinger painfully shook his head.

It made sense now.

What made Yuffie resistant is what kept him standing now. Chaos's fusion a second time  _would_  have killed him except he had a piece of Yuffie's power with him. The power that had spared Yuffie the fate that  _his_  body was currently going through was the one that was giving him mercy now. They were a part of each other's diseases. A disease that Vincent knew there was only one cure for, and he knew he could not subject Yuffie to any more pain than she had already gone through.

She had to take it back. And he had to die.

 _"And now you understand the conundrum, my friend."_  Chaos whispered from the darkness of Vincent's mind.  _"But trust in me, Vincent. Trust in **me**  this time, and I promise, it will be all right."_

"I thought you said no promises."

_"Change of heart. I have faith in you, Vincent. My will, your will, it's all the same."_

Vincent winced and shook his head as he closed his fingers around the materia.

"If I can save Yuffie, please. . .don't let her see me when I return."

Edward was startled as Vincent spoke with his head bowed and his fingers tightly clenched around the materia in his hand.

"Vincent?"

The gunslinger's painful, glassy eyes looked at the doctor with such sorrow that Edward gasped and slowly uncrossed his arms.

"You cannot let her see me after I save her." Vincent repeated as pain filled his voice. "There will be nothing left when I get done with that son of a bitch and I will  _not_  let JENOVA cells ruin her life like they ruined mine. Not when there is something I can do about it. Please, Edward. Don't let her see me as something I couldn't stand."

Edward was silent for a few moments before slowly sighing and shaking his head.

"Vincent, I would have thought that you'd have come out of that by now." he said softly.

He looked at Vincent with a stern frown as he raised his head.

"That girl loves you for who you are  _now_. She didn't know you back then. She didn't know Vincent Valentine the Turk, she knew Vincent Valentine the gun toting vampire of AVALANCHE.  _That_  Vincent is the one she loves. She loves him despite all of his short comings, all of his scars, and all of the demons that have plagued him his entire life. She loved you from the first moment she laid eyes on you, she just didn't fess up to it until several weeks ago. Don't give me that Minnie Mouse bullshit, Vincent. I am getting a bit tired of it after thirty years."

Vincent frowned a little but didn't speak as Edward stared at him for a moment before sighing again.

"That room may have been locked and you buried in it, but you chose that life out of self loathing and pity. I took you under my wing because I was familiar with the experiments and I knew just how crazy Hojo could get. I know you like the back of my own hand and I'll be damned, Vincent, if I didn't hope for something better from you. When I finally saw you again, I thought you had begun making that change, and in a way, you had, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough until  _she_  came into your life, and now you think it is too late."

Edward stepped up to face Vincent with a frown that rivaled the gunslinger's as the light beat down on the both of them.

"My wife did not slave over a mound of ancient texts to craft a cornerstone for her health, Vincent. In fact, if I had an  _ounce_  of self worth, I probably should have never let her make it, but what's done is done and we are never going to figure out if it works unless we try. You have to honestly believe this time, Vincent. You have to honestly  _want_  to save yourself. You already have it ingrained that Yuffie will live. I have no doubt in my mind that Yuffie will come back here in one piece. But you, Vincent. . .  _you_  are the one that needs the faith.

"If this whole ordeal has taught you anything, it should have been that life is too precious to waste regretting mistakes and misdoings of the past. You'll always have regrets, Vincent. Even the noblest of us regret. The ones that forgive and move on are the ones that let their true nobility shine, and I know you can do that. I've always known or else I wouldn't have tried so fucking hard to get you to see it all these years. So, if that is what you want and need, then I will oblige, Vincent. I promised you, and Reeve, that I would abide by your wishes. Just remember how many  _other_  people have impacted your life in the resoundingly positive. That's all."

Vincent was silent as Edward backed off a little and slowly walked over to the other side of the room. The gunslinger watched the doctor open up a cabinet and produce all of his clothes and the holster that held Cerberus at bay. A bright, silver case was sitting beneath everything in the cabinet as Edward sighed and turned around to face Vincent.

"So, you were planning on using it the entire time?"

Vincent smiled faintly.

"That  _is_  what it was made for, right?"

Edward smirked before shaking his head and looking at Vincent with weary eyes.

"You're going to be the death of me, Vincent."

"Hmm. That's what Reeve tells me all of the time." the gunslinger replied slowly moving forward toward the cabinet. "Don't worry. I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"I hope not. You make an old man's life feel full." Edward replied with a sigh.

Vincent turned to him with a start as Edward smiled craftily.

"What? I didn't say you were a pain in the ass, Vincent. I was just disappointed in your attitude. It could be a little better, you know. I've worked hard to keep you running this long. I'm surprised Yuffie never noticed herself."

"I never showed her."

"Then I am to assume that I don't have to worry about anything extra returning from Wutai?"

"Let me rephrase, then." Vincent said looking at Edward as he pulled his mantle from the cabinet. "It was dark in my room that night."

Edward laughed a little and shook his head as the gunslinger smiled at him and carefully put his clothes back on.

"In that case, then, I will be on my guard."

Vincent slowly wrapped Cerberus' holster around his hips as he thought about Edward's words. He hadn't thought about what could result from his union with Yuffie. It had been a thought in passing, yes, but that was before all of this chaos descended upon them. What had come first was her safety. Nothing else mattered but that. But as the gunslinger reached for the silver case in the cabinet and continued to digest this new worry, he suddenly felt a renewed sense of guilt gnawing at his conscience.

Leaving Yuffie alone by herself was painful enough, but leaving Yuffie alone with a child he helped create was even worse. How could that be justified?

Edward watched Vincent's face as the gunslinger slowly opened the case and looked down at its contents.

"We'll take care of her, Vincent. You don't have to worry about Yuffie or the child coming to anymore harm once all of this has ended." he said softly.

Vincent looked away from the silver plated item in the case with a start as Edward slowly uncrossed his arms and looked at the floor.

"It will be difficult to reverse what is done afterward, I am sure. But, Yuffie's mindset after this will depend mostly on  _you_ , Vincent." Edward said as he looked at Vincent with a small nod. "Hope is 9/10ths of the aftermath of disaster. Remember that."

Vincent was silent as Edward turned away and started walking toward the door.

"Don't go anywhere just yet. I have to have a few words with your partner for this particular mission and get in touch with the other members of AVALANCHE that have put themselves in harm's way trying to find Nicoli. I will send Yuko in with the Second and Third Pieces. Until then, don't be stupid."

Vincent was startled as he heard the door shut behind Edward.

The others were out pursuing Nicoli? But, why? It didn't make any sense for them to be putting themselves in danger.

Vincent's eyes narrowed as he felt his heart ache miserably in his chest.

"Because they are worried about Yuffie and because I am their friend." he breathed.

He looked away as the door to the room came open and the small, black haired nurse from before slowly walked into the light. Her bright eyes were warm as she looked up at Vincent and smiled faintly. She lifted two other silver cases and put them on the table Vincent had been lying on as Vincent looked at her with narrowed, red eyes.

Yuko shook her head as she kept her hands on the cases.

"Vincent, I do not know if this project will work out, but I do hope so for the sake of our planet, and for the sake of your heart."

Vincent looked at her as Yuko's face met his.

"Because your heart is the one thing that is worth saving. It is your love that is worth keeping around just a little longer. I hope the demons inside of you can at least give you that amount of peace for the injustices done to you. You may be the product of a mad man, but you have grown into your own, inner beauty, and I would hate for you to miss out on the chance to give it to another.

"Edward and I have worked very hard to keep what's left of you whole. The Triple Infinity is a connection to what was you then, what is you now, and what we hope is you in the near future. I do not know if it will work like we intended it to, but I do have faith in the demon that has blanketed your entire existence. I believe he can save you. I believe you can save Yuffie. With all of us believing in you, Vincent, all you have left to do is believe in yourself. If you have that, you will be unstoppable."

"Not only that, but you will have conquered all of your greatest fears. . .and so will I."

Vincent and Yuko turned as the door opened wider and a dark silhouette leaned against the door frame. Yuko stepped forward as Rina slowly limped into the room dressed in a soft, white t-shirt with a standard WRO jacket over it. She wore a new pair of black pants as she warded Yuko off and continued to walk toward the center of the room. She looked up at Vincent with a small, crooked smile as her green eyes danced behind a curtain of red, brown bangs.

"My brother may have injected Lady Yuffie with JENOVA's cells, but do you honestly think Lucrecia would give him the luxury of infecting another woman like she had infected herself? Do you honestly believe she would punish herself without knowing that someday someone would get that very same idea?"

Vincent was surprised by this and looked down at his student with shock.

Rina smiled again.

"She loved you, Vincent. She would never want the pain that killed her and that killed you to kill the one you truly love. You can stop it and make everything turn around for the better. This time, better for good, and I can help you make that happen."

"Listen to her, Vincent. She may be half your age, but her knowledge is invaluable to you at this moment."

Edward's voice cut up through the shadows as he stood at the door to the operating room with a firm frown on his face.

Rina looked back at him with a small smile before turning back to Vincent with a nod.

"Vox has taken care of me all of this time, and I never understood why. But I know I owe him this. I owe my mother this. I owe  _myself_  this fight, Vincent. I can help you beat him, and I can make sure that your Triple Infinity does what it is supposed to do."

Vincent was silent for a moment longer before he slowly opened the case in his hand and pulled out the hand piece to a very bright, exquisite weapon. He looked at it for a moment before turning his gaze to Rina and nodding slowly.

"All right."

Rina smiled again and turned to Edward.

"We need a way to the Holy Ground."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Edward replied walking forward. "Reeve is sure to have something with some speed behind it."

"Holy Ground?" Vincent asked softly.

Rina looked at him with a small nod.

"My brother knows Wutai better than anyone alive. Well, save for Yuffie. But Yuffie doesn't know the legends about the things she's found. She doesn't know that she's already awakened her presence as the next in line. She doesn't even know that she's seen the Holy Ground where all of her ancestors have been laid to rest."

"I don't understand." Vincent replied flatly.

"The area where my brother found you that night, Instructor." Rina said gravely. "That water is five times as potent as the water found at the Forgotten City because of the many generations of Kisaragi lineage that has passed on through it. The place Yuffie goes to cry, the place she thinks is secret. . .the place that protects her from harm. . . _that_  is the Holy Ground."

Vincent was startled as Rina turned to Yuko and accepted a small case of her own. He felt a sharp pain in his chest again as his heart angrily protested.

_"What she lacks in knowledge she will make up for in instinct, Vincent. Yuffie will know what to do as long as you keep your end of the deal and stop her."_

Chaos was quiet against the interior of Vincent's mind as Vincent grabbed the final two cases and looked at Rina.

Rina watched with calm eyes as Vincent winced and looked down.

"He dies tonight, Vincent." Rina said forebodingly. "It ends here."

Without another word, Rina turned and walked past Edward and out into the hall.

Vincent's eyes followed after her as Edward came up to stand with Yuko. The gunslinger smiled faintly as Edward nodded.

"Go on. Stop this madness once and for all. Maybe we can actually spend time away from the operating table and somewhere more favorable. . .say, the beach?"

Vincent laughed softly and nodded.

"Thank you, Edward, Yuko, for everything."

"Justice has its own rewards, Vincent." Yuko said softly. "You've lived this way long enough. Find peace."

Vincent nodded silently and walked by Edward and Yuko.

As he vanished, Edward sighed and put his arm around Yuko.

"Well, my dear, there goes our walking time bomb about to make everything right in the world."

"Yes, and I hope he finds right  _in_  it as well." Yuko said with a small noise in her throat.

"Come on. I am going to need more supplies to deal with the aftermath of this nightmare." Edward said with a small sigh.

As they left the operating room, the lights flickered over the metal operating table and a soft series of voices echoed from the distance. From above the table, a bunch of lilac blooms fell to the metal and instantly started dying.

_"For that what we want, we must fight to obtain. Godspeed, Vincent. I'll be watching."_


	16. Szforzando

"Let down the right flank, the right flank!"

Tifa glared at the line of soldiers spread across the East-ward entrance to Wutai as she and the other members of AVALANCHE stood at the ready several hundred yards away. She watched as the soldiers changed formation at their commander's order and frowned.

"Damn fools."

Tifa turned and looked at Cid as the pilot shook his head and threw his cigarette butt on the ground.

Cid stomped out the burning addiction and sighed as he looked up.

"Tryin' to keep allies out when their princess is bein' murdered. Might as well just stand here and let them suffer the consequences."

"Cid!" Tifa cried with shock.

"Don't get me wrong, Tifa." Cid said softly. "I am hurtin', too. Yuffie means a lot to me. She may be annoyin' as hell, but she is still one of us. She fought just as hard for this Planet and she doesn't deserve this. But you know as well as I do that this isn't our fight."

Tifa was silent as Cid looked at her with a squint against the setting sun.

"This is our gunman's."

"Tifa, Cid!"

The two AVALANCHE members turned with a start as Barret ran up to them with his gun arm drawn.

"Barret!" Tifa said with surprise as Barret caught his breath and shook his head.

"They are breaking ranks on the Southeast side. We could probably take them and move inward."

Tifa looked at Cid as the pilot frowned again and turned away. She remained silent as the black man in front of her felt the tension and looked at Cid as well.

"Cid, what's up?" Barret asked trying not to sound impatient.

Cid glared and cocked his head as though he were listening for something in the distance.

Sure enough, after a few seconds of silence, a faint rumbling could be heard.

Tifa gasped as she recognized the sound immediately.

"Cloud!"

Cid nodded curtly.

"I was wonderin' when old Spikey was gonna get here." Barret said with a grin. "Thought we was gonna have all the fun ourselves."

"We need to regroup Wutai and find Yuffie's father."

Tifa looked at Cid with concern as the pilot's voice changed dramatically.

Even Barret looked concerned as Cid turned around and frowned with a narrow stare.

"We need to find out as much as we can so that we can deal with the possible aftermath. Vincent has been struggling for a few years. . ."

Tifa felt an ominous feeling pass through her blood and she shivered as she shook her head.

"What are you talking about, Cid?"

"I'm afraid that he is referring to the crippling effects of Chaos and the other demons taking residence within our noble gunslinger."

Everyone turned as Rufus spoke up from in between Tseng and Elena who were armed with odd looking weapons. Rufus had something in his hand and he smiled almost sadly as Cid frowned and looked down and Tifa shook her head with stun.

"Crippling effects? But, Vincent has never said anything to us about being in pain."

"He wouldn't, would he?" Rufus said softly. "Vincent didn't want to burden you all with his problems. He has been seeking help from Reeve and a doctor that is familiar with his case. Up until this last reunion with Chaos, Vincent was recovering fairly well and Edward, his doctor, had managed to control the damaging effects of the other demons within him. However, as we all know, Vincent is stubborn and he will do what is in everyone else's best interests before he takes care of his own."

"I don't understand." breathed Tifa.

"He went back fer Chaos to save the rest of us." Cid replied almost with a painful irritation.

He turned to Tifa with sharp, blue eyes.

"He knew that if Nicoli got his way with Yuffie, then all that would stand in his way was Chaos. Unfortunately, Yuffie had a noble streak in herself, too. Unable to let another woman die for him, Vincent gave up what made him to mark Yuffie as his. In doing so, he saved her life and thwarted Nicoli's plans. It very well could save Yuffie from JENOVA now if Vincent knows what he's doing. That's why I said there's nothin' we can do, dammit. It's up to him and Yuffie now. We gotta stay outta it."

Tifa was stunned as Cid turned a bright scarlet and turned away as his eyes started glistening. The pilot fumbled with his matches and cigarettes as Rufus cleared his throat and nodded.

"Cid has it, then." he said softly. "This is Vincent's fight, now. Vincent's and that winged bastard's sister."

"Sister?" asked Tifa trying to keep her eyes off of the trembling pilot.

"Rina Patrice. Our mute, well, our used to be mute, Turk recruit." Tseng replied with a gentle smile. "When Nicoli came for Yuffie, she tried to stop him despite all of the odds against her. Though Yuffie was taken, she managed to save her partner, Vox. Something in her clicked when he was injured and she will be assisting Vincent in disarming her brother."

Tifa was silent as she digested this. Beside her, Barret glared at Rufus.

"Then if there's nothin' for us to do, what in the hell are you three here for?"

Rufus grinned.

"Damage control of the diplomatic kind."

Tifa looked at Rufus with a cocked eyebrow as she heard Cloud's bike roar from within the borders of Wutai.

"While Cloud is attempting to distract our enemy, I do believe the rest of us are going to have to hunt down the Emperor of Wutai and explain what has happened." Rufus said with a nod. "I am not much of a welcome guest, but unfortunately for Godo, he knows when he is unable to stand alone. When he realizes that I am within the borders and that AVALANCHE has come with grave news, he will break down and listen. I will have the proof and the historical evidence he needs to believe us. Like Cid has said, we will need to prepare the rest of Wutai for what may come."

Tifa nodded silently as Cid took a drag from his cigarette and kept his back to everyone else. The martial artist turned and watched the soldiers of Wutai turn away as a loud rumbling began to fill the earth. As the sun neared the horizon, the sky turned a deathly shade of blue and green. Lifestream lines started to trickle across the starless sheet of black as a faint cry went up into the air. The borders of Wutai started to carve themselves into the ground as the rumbling got worse. Tifa gasped as Rufus glared and nodded to Tseng and Elena.

As the two Turks took off with their weapons outstretched, Tifa looked at Rufus.

"Time to move, children." said Rufus running forward.

"What is going on!" Tifa cried as she and the others quickly lifted their respective weapons and followed after the younger Shinra.

"The power within Yuffie is connected to the land and all of her people!" Rufus yelled as they ran toward the border that was steadily becoming a deep ravine. "If threatened or left uncontrolled, the holder of that power, in this case, Yuffie, will call upon the power of the land in order to protect herself and unleash the destructive force within herself. In turn, the land uses the Lifestream to form a barrier to keep everyone and everything else out."

"Then, what about Vincent and Rina!" asked Tifa as she and the others made it into the outskirts of Wutai as the soldiers retreated.

Rufus smiled a little.

"I've developed a little technique that has been the basis of a grand scale project of Reeve's and mine. Don't worry. Tseng and Elena will take care of it. Meanwhile, we need to find out as much as we can from Godo before Yuffie's condition grows out of hand."

"I think it already has." Barret said softly as walls of green Lifestream shot out of the ravines forming the borders of Wutai. As the green walls rose up, Tifa painfully shook her head and turned away.

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go!"

Rufus nodded and the four of them took off as Tseng and Elena stood side by side where the four of them had crossed moments before.

"Tseng, do you think this will work in real time?" Elena asked as she held the weapon in her hands up higher.

"I don't know, Elena. But I have faith that Vincent knows what to do if it doesn't." Tseng replied.

He looked over at his partner as she sucked in her breath sharply and tried to control her emotions. He smiled faintly and turned away as he shook his head.

"It'll be all right, Elena. Keep it together for me, and we'll go out on that date like I promised."

Elena was startled and looked at Tseng with surprise before letting her face fall into a small smile as she nodded with determination.

"You better make good, Tseng." she simply stated turning back to the wall of Lifestream that was slowly forming a dome overhead.

Tseng laughed as a rumbling roar echoed up from the ground.

*****

From the darkened distance with a young girl clinging to him for dear life, Vincent Valentine glared and looked up as he streaked a red blur across the sky.

_"You've destroyed what I love for the last time. . .you took from me once, you've killed me once. Be grateful you're already dead and that this isn't my revenge._

_"The gates of hell open for you, Nicoli. Redemption came before. . .rebirth is what I'll take from you now."_

**_"It's on, my gunslinger. It is ON."_ **


	17. Forte-Fortissimo

The air was cool and foreboding as the Lifestream cut through the murky black of night. The sounds of the forest were intertwined with cries of the dead as the wind blew the leaves of the trees against one another. From the depths of the forest, a gentle breeze blew across the surface of a familiar pond. The sand was damp and there were fresh footprints at the water's edge as fireflies shot up from the water's tension. Fireflies darted over and around a collapsed, trembling body that was clawing its way across the pool.

Light refracted sharply off of the dragonfly wings as the green patterns struck every feature of the grotto that had protected Yuffie Kisaragi all of her life. Even as pain and agony wracked her body, the place still held a calm reserve in her heart. Her eyes were an electric lavender green color as she painfully cried and dug her nails in the seemingly solid tension of the water. Dark, black splotches were appearing on her arms and shoulders as the young princess continued to pull her convulsing body toward the center of the pool.

Everything had gone wrong.

The ninja let her forehead fall to the surface of the water and watched her tears slowly sink to the bottom as she felt the foreign cells in her body take over. She felt like a war was raging inside her as her mind became splattered in black nightmares and her heart raced to the tempo of a fierce march. Yuffie looked at the fish swimming haphazardly beneath her and wondered briefly why she was not sinking beneath the calmness of the water like she had hoped she would. She painfully closed her eyes and trembled violently as another surge of convulsions made her shake. The white robe surrounding her was torn and her body was cut in places as murky reddish black blood fell beneath the surface and was watered down into nothingness.

 _"Why won't I die?"_  she whispered in the tenders of her mind.  _"WHY CAN'T I END IT?"_

"Run all you want, Yuffie, but you cannot escape your destiny."

The cold, hard voice cut up through Yuffie's pain as the ninja opened her eyes and slowly pulled her head up. With as much strength as she could muster, she turned around and looked at the demon standing in the shadows of the clearing with hatred. Her electric eyes narrowed and her face pulled back in a snarl that was unbecoming of her countenance. The ninja realized this and cried out sharply as she violently shook her head and tried to rid herself of the thoughts that were not her own. She was finding it increasingly more difficult to control herself the farther the transformation went. She re-opened her eyes as Nicoli slowly entered the clearing.

Nicoli grinned with violet eyes blazing at the sky above. He watched the lines of Lifestream cross the black emptiness like a dome over a snow globe while Yuffie tried to pull herself further away. He smirked as he turned his gaze to her and shook his head.

"Do you feel it welling within you, then, Yuffie?" he breathed hatefully. "Do you feel the hatred of the Planet in your veins?"

Yuffie tried to ignore the demon as tears slowly coursed her way down her cheeks. Her skin was continuing to pale as bright, lavender threads started to sprout from her arms and backside.

_"If I can just crawl away. . .if I could only reach the rocks on the other side. . ."_

Nicoli frowned disapprovingly as he noted Yuffie's intentions. He sighed softly and shook his head as he uncrossed his arms and soundlessly walked across the sandy shore of the pool. His feet left rippling marks on the water's surface as he walked to the trembling woman and forcefully grabbed her by the nape of her neck.

Yuffie cried out softly and lifted her arms in a form of protest as Nicoli lifted her upright and held her up off of the water. Her eyes closed with pain as Nicoli stared up at her with a click of his tongue.

"Now, Yuffie, what fun would it be if you simply impaled yourself on those rocks? You have a glorious gift that must be shared with all of the less fortunate ones on this planet. Don't be a selfish little brat, now."

The ninja gasped heavily and jerked as Nicoli threw her to the surface of the pool again. The water made a faint splashing sound but she did not fall through as her nails dug into the surface. Nicoli's eyes narrowed as the lavender lines springing from Yuffie's body grew thicker and a deep, black collection of ooze began forming beneath her. The dragonflies darting in the air above the ninja were electric green as Yuffie coughed and kept her body pressed against the water.

"It isn't about  _you_  anymore, Yuffie." Nicoli said as he turned to walk back to the shore. "It's about giving back what you should never have had."

"Killing me will not separate the power from this Planet."

Nicoli frowned and looked back at Yuffie as the ninja painfully pulled her head up and looked at him with a hateful glare. Her eyes were almost completely green as the lavender threads at her backside started weaving feathers across and above her shoulder blades. Her chest was splotched with dark, bleeding sores as the white robe that covered her started to fall away. She painfully trembled and looked away before shaking her head and crying out.

"I  _am_  the power that controls my own destiny! I am the light of my  _own life_!" she screamed glaring at Nicoli with hatred. "And  _my light_. . .my  _life_. . .belongs to someone else."

Nicoli backed away with a start as the dragonflies that had been circling Yuffie illuminated in a haze of green and formed a protective cocoon around the Princess of Wutai. He glared as the water beneath Yuffie's body was a mixture of purple and black as the ninja was lifted upright by the forming wings at her back. As her toes left the surface of the water, Yuffie's eyes came open in a brilliant spectacle of purple. A bright spot in her chest started shimmering as her head fell to the side and blood fell down her sides and down her legs. As it hit the water, bright, red streaks shot up into the air and into the Lifestream forming above the land.

"As long as my heart loves one man. . .and as long as that one man possesses what makes me whole, then you cannot touch me."

Yuffie's voice was far away as the water from the waterfall became a bright green. Nicoli watched with stun as souls rose up from the pool and stepped out of the trees. The air was becoming dangerously electric as Yuffie's body rotated amidst the rising souls. Her normally jovial tone was replaced with something darker and much more sinister as the ninja sighed softly and shook her head.

"And if you cannot touch me, you cannot stop me and the power will continue to be passed on from hand to hand. In Chaos's chest it will grow and change and forever will the gunslinger you have sought to destroy be destined to protect what is left of me. I will never die, and I will haunt this place with destruction and sorrow. For the emotion of the holder is the choice of that demise."

Nicoli turned suddenly as a roaring of an engine nearby distracted him. He growled with annoyance as he recognized the sound immediately. He turned back to Yuffie as the ninja's eyes started opening. He gasped as he felt a chill run through his already cold heart.

"And I am very,  _very_  pissed off."

"NICOLI!"

"DIE!"

Nicoli shouted and brought his arms in front of his face as Yuffie's eyes came open and her jaw dropped. The souls around her shrieked as a bright, green flash came from the ninja's parted lips and slammed into the demon in front of her. It sent Nicoli flying through trees and brush as a bright, lavender shield followed after Yuffie's attack and blocked off the entire grotto.

"I will not be defeated and it is too late to turn back. In this vessel made of flesh, I will destroy everything."

Nicoli growled with hatred as his purple eyes lit up in fury. His fists came up with a deafening clamor as sparks flew off of the massive silver blade inches away from his face. The demon glared as he slowly looked up the length of the buster sword to the angry, spikey blonde that was holding it. He cocked his head as he watched Cloud Strife's eyes contort terribly between an agitated turquoise and their normal baby blue as the buster sword wielder glared. Nicoli shook his head with a grin.

"Cannot deny what we are, Cloud. You are as much JENOVA's puppet as Yuffie is the channel of destruction for this planet."

Cloud glared and pulled another piece of his buster sword out from behind him and shook as Nicoli moved with lightening speed out from under the first blade and glared down at him from the sky.

"I am what I choose to be, Nicoli." Cloud said as he watched the demon. "This is not Yuffie's will. It's yours."

"And, yet, she submitted nonetheless." Nicoli said with a smirk. "So, what does  _that_  tell you about your princess?"

Cloud's eyes narrowed dangerously as he shook his head.

"You just don't get it. None of you  _GET IT_!"

Nicoli laughed and drew a weapon of his own as Cloud launched upward with the buster sword outstretched. Purple sparks and the clanging of metal rang against the night drop of Lifestream and lavender streaks as the two continued their rage in the sky.

From below, several hundred yards away, a red blur slammed into the ground and came to a stop in a clearing of tall grass and wild flowers. As the dirt settled and Vincent Valentine's cloak slowly returned to normal, Rina trembled violently and clamored to the ground with a gasp of breath. Vincent laughed a little and shook his head as Rina held her hand against her chest.

"Are you going to be all right, Rina?" he asked softly.

Rina smiled with a nervous laugh.

"You. . .you fly. . .so fast!" she whispered.

"I'm sorry. I am not used to carrying  _conscious_  individuals like that." Vincent admitted softly.

Rina shook her head and turned with a start as sparks and roars echoed in the sky. She painfully frowned as her eyes scanned the landscape and she saw the lavender dome rising higher out of the trees. She shook her head again and closed her eyes as she saw the purple feathers beating against the underside of the dome.

"Idiot." she whispered looking down at the grass before raising her head and watching materia attacks bounce off of the purple blur she knew was her brother.

"Rina?"

Rina turned with a small smile as her green eyes lit up mysteriously. Her long, reddish brown hair blew across her face as a bright, green force started forming in her heart. She waited silently as Vincent looked at her.

Vincent was quiet as he slowly looked down at the open weapon in his hand. His red eyes traveled over the large, silver gun in his hand as his heart painfully slowed in his chest. He winced and closed his eyes as the weapon shimmered an iridescent pearl color in his hand. The materia enamel that traced colored lines through the fleur de lis designs in the metal of the weapon lit up as Vincent's fingers tightened around the weapon.

It was a long, elegant barrel that rivaled the Cerberus in beauty and craftsmanship. The barrel was split open into several compartments as the materia lines started snaking their way through Vincent's fingers and into his arm. The gunslinger opened his eyes and looked at the strange, entwined series of colored hearts and thorns charms hanging from the end of the gun as Rina's hands slowly touched the barrel of the weapon.

His eyes slowly met hers as her hands infused the weapon in a bright green and she closed the open compartments on the side of gun to make a complete barrel. She smiled with a shake of her head as Vincent's body was swept up in a violent whirlwind with hers.

"He is a part of you now." she breathed as red, blue, and green materia lines started rising from the weapon in Vincent's hand and started entwining themselves around Vincent's arm and chest.

"Whatever happens from here, Vincent, know that she loved you. . .and only wants the best for you."

"I know. . ."

Vincent painfully opened his eyes as Chaos gently began pulling himself to his body's surface. His armor started changing as the gun illuminated in a bright light. Green trails of Lifestream trickled from Rina's fingers and into the barrel of the weapon as the young woman laughed softly.

"No. . .not Lucrecia, Vincent. . . _Yuffie_."

Vincent was startled as Chaos' form became his. His golden eyes watched Rina as the whirlwind of color and sound continued to spin around them.

"Yuffie?"

"When you get to her, she will not be the woman you love." Rina said softly. "It will be painful trying to get past her defenses. You may never get past them. It depends on  _you_  and  _Chaos_ , Vincent. The horrible pain coursing through Yuffie right now is causing her to act how  _any_  JENOVA sufferer would act. Couple that with her extensive arsenal, and I am afraid that the Yuffie you know will not be strong enough to overpower the super being she has become."

_"I don't believe that."_

Vincent's voice was contorted and echoed slightly as Chaos' cut up through his normally stoic baritone. He looked down at Rina with a small frown as the Kisaragi charm shimmered beside the Protomateria.

_"And because I don't believe it, I know the Yuffie I love is still alive within that being claiming her body."_

Rina smiled as she slowly pulled her hands away from the Triple Infinity and nodded.

"That's the spirit, Vincent."

The whirlwind surrounding them shot up into the sky after Rina as the young woman disappeared in a flash of blinding green.

Vincent looked upward as he felt a strange feeling course through his veins. He tightened his hold on the weapon in his hand as he felt his heart stutter in his chest.

 _"It is now or never, Vincent. I am afraid there is no choice in the matter."_ Chaos said softly.

The demon's voice was uncharacteristically sad as Vincent turned away from the sky and stared at the dome of purple growing larger and violently stronger in the distance. The gunslinger's free hand slowly traced the spot in his chest where the Kisaragi charm lie as he waited for the signal. At his back, he felt a strange energy building.

 _"Ah! So, the cavalry decided to show up after all."_  Chaos replied with a laugh.  _"There may hope for you yet."_

Vincent didn't have time to question the demon's ramblings as he saw two, bright beams shatter through the dome of Lifestream surrounding the borders of Wutai.

_"There it is."_

Vincent's wings shot out from behind him as he moved forward at twice the speed he would normally move as Chaos. Green and lavender trails followed him through the shattered opening in to Wutai as the two Turks creating the passageway gritted their teeth and fought the force of the Lifestream with the weapons in their hands. As he flew past, both warriors fell back several feet and the portal was gone as quickly as it had been formed.

Vincent looked back briefly and watched Tseng lift his head before turning to the task ahead of him with a grim frown.

 _"I refuse to let you die, Yuffie."_  he breathed as the Triple Infinity made a small whirring noise.  _"It's your life over mine. . ."_

_"A bit uneven, wouldn't you say, Vincent?"_

Vincent closed his eyes as Chaos spoke through the fabric of his mind. He was quiet for a few seconds before re-opening his eyes and shaking his head.

_"No."_

With that, Vincent roared hatefully and made contact with several, green spirits and a wall of purple as he fired the Triple Infinity.

His destiny had been set.


	18. Rallentando

Cloud hit the ground with a thud and painfully winced as blood seeped from a wound in his chest. His entire body was wracked with pain as lightning zipped through his eyes and settled behind his eyes. He glared hatefully and shook his head as he pushed himself upward and leaned against his buster sword. He stumbled as Nicoli glared from above him. The demon's eyes flashed and Cloud's face tightened with pain as powerful waves of energy ran up and down his spine.

Nicoli grinned and relished the buster sword wielder's strangled cry as he fell to his knees. He abruptly cut his attack off and glared as he took off with his arm outstretched. He swept down and grabbed Cloud by the collar of his shirt and lifted him several feet off of the ground. He watched as Cloud groaned miserably.

"This  _is_  what comes after death, Cloud." Nicoli hissed solemnly. "Why should death be merciful?"

Cloud opened his contorted eyes and glared as his hands slowly began to rise.

"Be. . .cause. . ." he breathed getting ready to use an attack Tifa had taught him. ". . .that is the way. . .of the circle. . ."

The buster sword wielder roared as another wave of pain shot through his body as Nicoli laughed.

"The way of the circle. You  _pitiful_  HUMAN!"

Cloud felt the ground against his left arm before he actually impacted it as his head swam in a sea of pain and blood. A sharp jolt filled his arm and side as he slid several meters before coming to a stop. He felt Nicoli coursing toward him and knew it was pointless to try and block. Nicoli had already proved that he was stronger than a mere defense shield. Instead, Cloud's eyes came open in defiance. Their baby blue shone through the green as he looked up into the wild sky. He smiled faintly as he thought about Tifa.

"Dawn. . .see?" he breathed as his eyes began to close. "I found. . .our. . .sky. . ."

_"AND IT COMES FULL, BROTHER!"_

Cloud was startled as Nicoli came within inches of his body and was blocked by a horrendous wall of energy that caused the demon to roar in agony. Cloud watched as Nicoli grabbed the sides of his head and was blasted backward as the shield melded back into a tangible form and dissipated into the sky. He painfully tried to sit up as Nicoli regrouped and glared in his general direction.

"I think you've done all you can, Cloud. Thank you for trying to help me."

Cloud gasped softly as a hand fell against his back and the pain that had been coursing through his blood was pulled out. His eyes were devoid of their green tint as the dull pain of a broken arm ached through his side. From behind him, Rina slowly walked forward and smiled down at the buster sword wielder.

"Rina!" he said with a start.

Rina nodded.

"I'm afraid that is all I can do for you, Cloud. Your arm looks broken. Can you get back to the palace where the others are?"

Cloud watched as Nicoli made to attack again, but was stopped as Rina turned her head and opened her mouth. Again, Nicoli roared and grabbed his head as Rina raised her hand and the buster sword shot up from the grass and into her hand. Rina's lips closed as she turned back to Cloud.

"This is my fight now."

Cloud slowly stood up and watched Rina as he carefully took his buster sword from her. Rina smiled faintly as she watched the buster sword wielder scrutinize her with his eyes.

"I'm not afraid of him, Cloud. I have something to protect again. I can finally avenge my mother, Vox, and the brother this demon stole from me."

Cloud's face was solemn as he looked back at Nicoli as the demon fumed and watched Rina with wicked, violet eyes. After a few seconds, Cloud turned back to Rina and nodded once.

"Good luck, Rina."

"Tell Godo that his wife is extremely upset." Rina said distantly as she looked out over the expanse of field. "And that he has Vincent Valentine to thank for saving his daughter."

Cloud looked startled for a second as Rina looked at him with a small smile. He frowned.

"And, you, Rina?"

"The jury's out." the young woman whispered turning away. "You had better go. I cannot keep him from you for long, and he won't follow now that I am here. Go. Tell the others to keep the brightest memories of Yuffie and Vincent close to the surfaces of their mind."

Cloud nodded again and turned away as he slid his buster sword in the holster on his back and started running to where he had left Fenrir.

Rina watched from the corner of her eye to make sure that he got away safely as she made sure to keep the force field barring her brother strong. As Fenrir roared to life and took off into the distance, Rina slowly frowned and turned to Nicoli who was still staring at her with daggers in his eyes.

"Well, Andrina," Nicoli hissed as he lowered his head and his wings came up higher at his backside, "it seems you have become a much bigger problem than I would have ever anticipated."

Rina glared as the wind blew her long hair out to her side.

"You almost killed my partner, Nicoli. Your games were fine when they were directed at me. Now, they are no longer games, they are tools of destruction and I will not let you use them any longer."

Nicoli smirked as a small noise left his throat.

"If you couldn't stop me before, what makes you think you can now?"

"Because you have already lost." Rina stated softly. "Vincent had beaten you from the moment you had left Yuffie with him in this very forest. His blood was coursing through her veins long before now, and the power you so desperately sought was passed on before you could claim it. You never were a Plan B type, Nicoli. And rather than take the loss quietly, you wanted to make sure that  _nobody_  won. Am I right?"

Nicoli's eyes turned down in a horrendous glare as purple sparks started zipping through his wings and arms. Rina glared and slowly raised her arms as Nicoli stepped menacingly toward her.

"What would  _you_ know about  _wining_ , Andrina?"

Rina hissed as barbs shot out of the air and into Nicoli's hands.

"ALL YOU HAVE EVER DONE IS LOST!"

Rina brought her hands up as green shields formed around her fists. Nicoli's barbs bounced back as he launched forward and tried to attack her with them. She glared as her eyes lit up in a furious shade of emerald as her brother recoiled and made to attack again.

"But this time is different, brother."

Nicoli snarled as Rina's hair slowly blew across her face.

Rina's eyes narrowed dangerously as she widened her stance and made to defend as Nicoli charged again.

"I have something to fight for this time."

Nicoli roared and snapped back as sharp, painful spikes appeared inches from Rina's body and levitated outward toward him as he advanced. His eyes were an electric purple as the clouds continued to gather around the clearing meters from them. He clenched a new set of barbs in his fists as Rina's hands drew a larger shield and she stood up straighter. Sweat slowly slid down his sister's temple and a slow smile started to creep across Nicoli's face.

As the sky filled with the souls of the dead and gone, and the Lifestream continued to criss cross lines of song through the disappearing stars, Nicoli made passes and jabs at his sister. Neither one made a fair attempt to fatally strike the other, and soon Rina showed signs of fatigue as Nicoli roared and struck her shield in a weak spot. Lightning cracked across the clouds as ambrosia drops scattered to the grass that was moving wildly in the wind.

Rina staggered back and brought her hand painfully to her right arm as blood spilled down from her shoulder. She winced and slid to her knees as her eyes dimmed. Tears started forming underneath her eyes as rain started to fall from the sky. The soft drops began hitting her skin as she heard Nicoli laugh.

"You are still as pitiful as you were back then, Andrina."

Rina glared as she lifted her head. She looked at Nicoli as he kept a safe distance between them and grinned wickedly at her.

"But I will give you credit, sister. You have managed to be a bigger pain than you  _ever_  were." Nicoli continued with a small glare.

Purple streaks passed through his irises as he frowned. His wings rose higher as the rain fell harder.

"Just as you tried to save our mother, you are going to try and save this pitiful human before you. Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

Nicoli raised an eyebrow as Rina's hair fell in soaked, stringy strands around her face. Her body was limp and bleeding as she breathed heavily. As she continued to sit there, a faint, green haze began to form around her, shielding her from the rain falling from above. Her eyes narrowly opened and stared out at the ground in front of her as her blood continued to spill between her fingers. She slowly began to lift her head as she glared at her older brother and trembled.

"And because her life wasn't yours to take. Her fate wasn't  _yours_ to decide."

Nicoli grinned as his eyes narrowed.

"Yet there she is. . .ready to destroy the very planet we have come to cherish."

Rina's hand slowly fell from her bloody arm as purple sparks zipped through the gash in her flesh. Her fingers clenched into fists as her green shields started to form again and her hair whipped out behind her.

Nicoli stepped back with a start as his sister threw her head back and screamed as bright, green wings made of gossamer and shattered glass shapes shot out of her backside. The wind, rain, and lightning crescendoed around the two siblings as the epic struggle for the Planet crested and the Lifestream howled above them. Rina's hands lit up in a green fury of flames and envy as her head fell forward and her eyes came open. They were devoid of all feeling and completely green as she looked at Nicoli.

Nicoli calmly collected his thoughts and looked at his sister's new transformation with a small smirk before slowly shaking his head and laughing softly. Rain slowly fell down the side of his face where Vincent had attacked him with his gauntlet. His hair slowly began sticking to the sides of his head as his wings silently beat the air behind him. The Lifestream sank lower to the earth as the growing sphere of purple shuddered in the distance. He watched it for a moment before glaring and turning to his sister with a faraway countenance.

A different tone inflicted his voice as a person Rina had not heard in a very long time cut up through the demon standing in front of her.

"So, you wish to fight me to the end, do you, Andrina?"

_"It will end, brother. . .one way or the other."_

Rina's voice was oddly electric and covered over by static as green electricity passed through her arms. Her eyes drooped as she shook her head.

_"I'm sorry, Nicoli."_

Nicoli grinned as he raised his weapons and thunder rumbled overhead.

"You have a lot of anger that has been begging for release. Father put you through a hell I could not imagine. You have a right to come after the ones that helped him do this to you. I do apologize that I have to make it difficult for you."

_"You will not."_

Nicoli grinned as he looked down at the ground. Water fell from the silvery purple strands of hair framing his pale, bleeding face as he closed his eyes. A painful tremor coursed its way through his body as he gripped his weapon tighter in his palm and lifted his head as his heart started beating faster in his chest.

Rina looked at him with narrowed eyes as her aura started spreading wider and her wings beat a softer tune at her back. A green, pulsing glow was prominent in her veins as she slowly formed a bright shield of green in front of her. She looked at Nicoli with a painful countenance.

_"Nicoli. . ."_

"Is it pointless to apologize, Andrina?"

Rina was startled as a soft, quiet voice cut up through the scratchy, hateful tones she had grown so used to after the fusion of the Mind Bender demon to her brother. She gasped as the tears that had been building behind her eyes started to fall down her face and her brother lifted his eyes to meet hers. The bright blue cut up through her heart and made it ache as she saw the soul of the brother she thought she had lost forever.

_"Brother!"_

"I'm sorry, Andrina. . ." Nicoli said as the pain that continued to rip through him started to burn tiny holes in his flesh.

Pinpricks of purple light started coming from his skin as his knuckles tightened further around the weapon in his hand. He lifted his head and smiled at his sister with a small nod.

"For not being strong enough to fight him when I promised you I'd protect you. I'm sorry. . .I have. . .to. . .fight you."

Rina painfully shook her head as her aura started to weaken. She became horribly conflicted as a shockwave ran through her body. She cried out and lifted her hands to her head as she trembled and her wings beat at her back.

Nicoli glared and gripped his weapon so hard cracking could be heard. He dug his feet into the ground and shook his head as thunder continued to roll above. More purple light and smoke began to trail out of Nicoli's skin as a vicious roaring began to heave from inside of him. He groaned painfully and fought the urge to lunge forward as he painfully reached out and shook his head.

"No, Rina! You. . .you mustn't let him confuse your thoughts! You cannot let. . . .me. . .win. You must kill me, Andrina. YOU MUST KILL ME!"

Rina gasped painfully and shook her head as her emotions started to spin wildly out of control. She could feel the strain of the power within her working against her body as her mind and heart screamed. Images of the past and her present collided as the imprints bruised the backs of her retinas. Her wings were beating so fast her aura was a fury of flames and green energy. The pulsing in her body was so furious it felt like her heart was pumping electrified blood. She cried out and trembled as she sank to the ground again.

It was different if he was still there.

It was different if he still believed in himself.

_"I. . .I can't. . .can't kill. . .my. . ."_

"I'm not me, anymore, Andrina. . .and you're the only one that can set me free."

Rina gasped and looked up as a hand fell on her shoulder. The pain in her body lessened instantly as she looked up into her brother's familiar, blue eyes. She trembled as Nicoli smiled forlornly and shook his head. Purple smoke was billowing from his skin as his wings started to shrivel up and fall away. Blood was dripping from the hand wrapped around the barb as Nicoli raised his free hand and touched his sister's face. Rina's wings stopped suddenly and she closed her eyes as she leaned into Nicoli's touch.

_"I don't want you to die!"_

"You have never needed me, Andrina. What you've needed I have taken, and if you do not kill me now, I will take your life as well, and you have fought this hard and this far for that mouthy little shit back at Base. I would hate for him to be disappointed when he wakes up."

Rina looked up at Nicoli with tears in her eyes as she laughed. She shook her head and smiled as she nodded.

_"I don't want you to suffer."_

"Just stand up and attack me, Andrina, and I promise, I won't. Destroy him." Nicoli replied softly. "Just, please. . .destroy him."

_"I have always loved you, Nicoli!"_

Nicoli smiled with narrow eyes.

"Don't lie, Rina."

Rina smiled back and closed her eyes as Nicoli pulled away and started moving back to the spot where he had been standing. Lightning cracked overhead and thunder rumbled as Rina slowly rose to her feet and laughed softly. The green aura returned full force as she felt a strange peace flow through her blood.

The last of her family was finally laid to rest.

_"Nicoli!"_

Nicoli turned around with fleeting blue eyes that were starting to turn a violent purple as snarling joined the roaring and pulling in his body.

Rina lifted her hands and grinned with narrowed eyes as the last of her tears were swept away.

**_This is for you, Mother. . ._ **

_"I HATE YOU!"_

Nicoli grinned with razor sharp teeth as purple lightning razed the ground around him. And as Rina lunged forward with her shields outstretched and her aura strong, her mind was at peace with everything. Her thoughts were calmly back on the one she had left behind and the stories she had left to make.

**_I'm coming home, Vox._ **

**_I'm coming._ **

_"IT ENDS NOW, BROTHER!"_

The two tangled for several minutes longer while the hurricane continued to gather strength, but soon, it was evident that Nicoli was weakening, and he looked at his sister with a faint smile.

**". . .now, Andrina. . .now. . ."**

As the purple and green lit up the thunder infused night in the fields, the chaos that was forming at the eye of the storm struck down around the whirlwind of energy. Rina's face tensed as she raked her powers through her brother's body and tore it to shreds. As she did a terrible screech ran rampant through the sky. The Lifestream surged for a moment as a bright streak of purple and blue joined the ranks while sprays of green scattered across the fields surrounding the Wutai forests. The night air breathed a sigh of relief as the storm rumbled quietly overhead.

Rina slowly gasped for breath and fell to the ground as her blood continued to slide down her arm. Her body was normalizing as the green aura retreated back into her chest. She blinked slowly as her palms rested in the muddy earth beneath her. Her long, red hair fell over her face as she continued to breathe and her green eyes were hazy as she stared out at nothing. A small smile formed on her lips as her eyelids closed and her heartbeat slowed in her chest. The last of her aura vanished above her as she laughed softly.

"It. . .it's up. . .to you now. . .Vincent. . ." she breathed. "Good. . .luck. . ."

With that, the young warrior fell silent in the tall grass surrounding her as the rain continued to fall and the storm continued to rage on.


	19. Presto

The air was a swirl of souls and vicious cries as hands thrashed against the glowing weapon in Vincent's hand. The gunslinger closed his eyes and frowned as he viciously pulled back and let the hands slice through his aching flesh instead.

He couldn't afford to waste the ammunition on the drones.

_"Be careful, Vincent. . .your body cannot take this kind of abuse for long."_

Chaos' voice cut up through the threads of Vincent's mind as Vincent slowly growled and opened his eyes full of amber hatred.

 _"Don't worry about me. . .just tell me what I need to do!"_ he roared as he lashed out and struck the souls trying to impede his quest.

The air was swirling with electricity and pain as souls plunged their holy weapons into any soft spot in Vincent's armor. The purple sky swirled around him as a bright, green orb pulsed from the center of the growing nightmare surrounding him. Large, purple wings were extending upward from the orb as a beam of light was cutting straight up into the storm raging outside.

**_"STOP."_ **

Vincent was startled and pulled the Triple Infinity back as the souls attacking him came to a dead halt. He painfully coughed up blood as wounds appeared in his chest and abdomen while the souls looked at him flabbergasted. The soft, commanding voice that had spoken forcefully pushed on the gunslinger's backside causing him to turn his head to the side.

From within his thoughts, Chaos smiled.

_"Vincent Valentine. . .meet Mizuki Kisaragi. . .Yuffie's mother."_

Vincent's eyes widened as he turned his head completely and faced a wall of larger, darker colored souls that stood in arms behind him. At the forefront of the soul comprised army was Mizuki Kisaragi, her eyes ablaze with anger and disgust. The souls opposing her cowered back and shuddered as she opened her mouth and a screech so ungodly erupted from her lungs, several souls actually disintegrated. Vincent calmly watched as Mizuki's lips came back together and she turned her eyes to him.

Mizuki smiled faintly as she slowly walked forward and stood in front of the gunslinger.

 ** _"So, you are the one that saved my daughter's life and filled her blood with that of salvation."_**  she said softly.

Vincent felt an unbelievably calm feeling spread through him as he looked down at the woman smiling at him. He slowly nodded.

_"I am."_

Mizuki smiled again as she slowly nodded and took a step back.

Vincent was startled and shook his head a little as Mizuki bowed deeply in front of him. He watched as all of the other souls behind Mizuki followed suit and dropped to their knees in a respectful bow.

Mizuki raised her head with another smile. Her lavender eyes were ablaze as the orb behind Vincent continued to grow.

**_"Thank you, Vincent Valentine. . .Chaos. . .the Keeper of the Gun. You have a special place in this world, and it is beside my daughter. Trust in us, and I can promise, you will not go unrewarded. Please, save my daughter a second time. . .and you shall survive."_ **

Vincent shook his head and smiled faintly.

 _"I would have saved her regardless, Mizuki-san."_ he breathed as an odd feeling started pulsing in his veins.

The Kisaragi Charm suddenly lit up in a fiery lavender red as Vincent closed his eyes.

_"It's her life over mine. . .and I love her. . ."_

**" _Then go forward, Infinite Chaos. . .and rule the final battle of JENOVA's wrath. We are with you."_**

Vincent roared and raised his arms to the sky as Mizuki shot forward and through the charm in his chest. The wall of souls in front of him followed suit as the charm exploded in a frenzy of sparks and light. The pain coursing through Vincent's body intensified as the army behind him shrank away. Chaos silently endured the treatment as Vincent's armor changed a third time and the wings at his back grew to include a dragon like design.

_"This is our final Form, Vincent. . .it is one I have not used in many years. When combined with the body and soul of a living, breathing human, I can become infinitely unstoppable. To defeat the menace clouding Yuffie's body and mind, you must be strong of will and strong of body. In giving up your own will, you have succumbed to a fate that may be unclear. . .but if you trust in Mizuki, and you have faith in Yuffie's strength, then who knows. . .anything is possible._

_"Vincent, you are now Infinite Chaos."_

There was a deafening silence as Vincent's voice completely faded and he slowly lowered his arms. Purple and red light moved through the newly transformed body as Lifestream trails swirled around him. The Triple Infinity opened suddenly as bright, gold lavender eyes lifted and long, black hair flowed around the being.

Infinite Chaos glared as he watched the souls in front of him disappear and retreat to the blackening orb in the distance. With the power of life and death coursing within him, the being said not a word as he shot up into the air and moved forward through the purple abyss.

_"We rarely get to choose our fates in this cruel game called life. In fact, many of us are entwined so evenly with destiny we hardly realize we are being manipulated. But for those of us who stand apart and away from that large crowd. . .for those of us who see the manipulation and the pain, a greater source of agony awaits us every day. We who choose our own end lead the lives that make us strong, weak, and forever encased in a pain that is unfamiliar and unique. We settle for nothing less than the sake of living, and we will fight until our last breaths to keep our freedom. Even when keeping our freedom means sacrificing ours for another's. For when we find that. . .when we find what makes us give it all up for someone else's fate. . .that is when we are complete._

_"Find what completes you, my dear gunslinger._

_"Find the freedom you so rightfully deserve. . ._

_"For I have found in you what completes my immortality, and I promise, if we get through this I will never leave your side again._

_"A life for a life and forever entwined with destiny. . .I will complete you._

_"I swear it."_


	20. Requiem

"Sing a pretty song. . .a very pretty song. . ."

Yuffie's voice was weak and tired against the fabric of her mind as her arms reached for the sky with tremendous light building between them. A symbol on her forehead was channeling amazing power as blood and black residue from JENOVA ran down the length of her body. Light poured from her exposed skin and chest as her gossamer wings beat silently behind her. Everything was blank and dark as the souls surrounding her spun faster and faster.

It was useless to fight it now.

Pain crossed the young princess's face as she lifted her countenance to the sky and cried out. Blood spilled from her lips as the power in her hands turned a vicious purple black.

"N. . .N. . No! No, I don't. . .WANT THIS!" she whispered fiercely.

_"SUBMIT, CHILD. . .IT IS THE FATE OF ALL TO DIE. . ."_

The darkness behind Yuffie's eyes pulsed in her mind as the ninja screamed with pain and her light grew weaker. Shadows rose up from beneath her and started clawing at her flesh as a violent laughter filled the sky. Tears of blood slid down Yuffie's cheeks as her faint, lavender eyes narrowly opened. She trembled terribly and shook her head as she rose higher in the air.

"Please. . .please. . .don't. . ."

"EVERYTHING MUST DIE IN THE END!"

The dome shattered around Yuffie as the night wind screamed around the black orb. Yuffie's voice rose in terror as the shadows claimed her and grabbed her tightly. Lightning struck the water surrounding her as the Lifestream above her was sucked into the orb in her hands. As it grew larger, so, too, did Yuffie's pain.

"I. . .don't want. . .to die. . ."

**_"LET HER GO!"_ **

The black orb surrounding Yuffie's body shattered with a deafening crash as the shadows were split by several white bullets with blinding materia and Lifestream tails attached to them. The sky shuddered and the orb in Yuffie's hands turned on the disturbance as more and more of the Lifestream was consumed. The whirlwind of terror zeroed in on Infinite Chaos as he rose out of the smoke from the barrel of the Triple Infinity and beat his wings in defiance. His eyes were blazing lavender as a wave of green rose up behind him. The charm in his chest was a fury of light as Yuffie turned on him with hatred in her eyes.

"PITIFUL, CHAOS. . .FIGHTING YOUR SISTER IN ARMS!"

The dark, hateful voice that welled up from Yuffie's throat only enraged the demon in front of her as he glared.

 **" _YOU, JENOVA, are no sister to me!"_** Infinite Chaos roared.

Yuffie laughed and continued to cry as souls appeared from behind her and snarled.

"YOU HAVE GOTTEN SOFT, CHAOS! IT IS TIME YOU REMEMBERED YOUR  **PLACE**  IN THIS WORLD!"

Infinite Chaos roared and lifted the Triple Infinity as the charm in his chest shimmered brighter.

" ** _No, Vincent. . .you only have a few rounds left. . .and you will need them to shatter the orb forming above my daughter. JENOVA is manipulating the souls in the Lifestream. Try to get close enough to my daughter and make her remember. The more light that flows through her, the weaker JENOVA will get."_**

**"But. . ."**

**_"Trust me, Vincent."_ **

Infinite Chaos holstered the Triple Infinity and roared as sharp, silver digits appeared on both of his hands and he shot upward toward Yuffie's body. His heart thundered in his chest as he sliced through soul after soul, JENOVA's horrible laughter taunting him as blood spilled from his wounds. His breathing became erratic and harsh as he sliced through the remaining souls blocking his path. The Kisaragi line pumped in his dying veins as his eyes lit up in electric fury.

"FORSAKEN ARE THOSE WHO FORGET THEIR DESTINY, VINCENT VALENTINE."

Infinite Chaos's body came to a dead halt as his eyes widened for a split second before narrowing and slowly filling with tears. He painfully looked down at Yuffie's hand as the Lifestream encased digits that had comforted him so many nights dug straight through the flesh in his chest and grasped the glowing sphere nestled in his ribs. A pain deeper than physical hurt filled his body as his wings stuttered and blood started to spill over his silver armor. He winced as the power inside him shuddered and faded slightly while Yuffie continued to dig for the Kisaragi charm.

_"Vincent. . .you cannot succumb. . ."_

Chaos' former voice slid through Infinite Chaos's thoughts as everything around him started to grow dark. He painfully gasped for air as JENOVA roared with laughter.

_". . .you must stay strong a little longer. . ."_

Blood spilled from between Infinite Chaos's lips as Yuffie yanked the sphere from his chest and a horrible spray of blood coated her body. He groaned in agony but did not cry out as he painfully raised his head and trembled on his crumbling wings. Lifestream poured from his body as the Protomateria illuminated in a bright, shining lavender.

_". . .she does not want this, Vincent. Open your eyes. . .find your whole. Believe."_

"WHAT?"

"Vinc. . .Vincent!"

Crimson eyes looked up through a long curtain of ebony bangs as Yuffie's soft, scared voice reached the fading ears of a dying spirit. Through tears of pain, Vincent Valentine stared into the clear, beautiful eyes that he had sought to save. He painfully smiled and began to reach up as Yuffie hung in the air crying.

Yuffie trembled and sobbed as the gunslingers digits became the hand she loved so much. The touch against her blood stained skin made her shudder as she felt death clinging to the one she loved. The chaos surrounding them suddenly vanished as Vincent hung suspended with wisps of life trailing out of his body. His hand was still firmly against Yuffie's face as the ninja's tears suddenly cleared and spilled over her cheeks. Her eyes came open and her light started to fill her entire body from head to toe as Vincent smiled at her.

"It's all right now, Yuffie. . .It's all right. . ."

"Vincent, please, please stop me! I don't want to do this! Please, please end it! Help me. . .I'm so sorry!" Yuffie whispered frantically.

She gasped and looked at her lover as a beautiful pair of white wings extended from Vincent's back. The hole in the gunslinger's chest broke open and caused him to wince, but he was still smiling as he tilted his head and leaned forward.

"Never be sorry, Yuffie. You are the one that saved  _me_."

Yuffie's eyes were trembling as she felt Vincent fading away.

"Vincent!"

"I love you. . .so much, Yuffie. . .and I will set you free. . ."

"Vincent. . .Vincent, don't leave me!"

Vincent smiled as a white light began to force its way through his body and into Yuffie's.

Yuffie closed her eyes and lifted her lips into Vincent's kiss as she felt the pain in her body disappear. It released in a fury of purple light and green sparkles as her wings shot out behind her like a graceful dragonfly in flight. Her body suddenly healed and her arms were freed from their invisible chains as her fingers reached for the gunslinger in front of her. When she could not touch him, Yuffie's eyes came open in fright as tears continued to slide down her face. She watched with a sickening shake of her head as Vincent parted from her and smiled while his body began disintegrating into Lifestream.

"Vincent. . .no . . . !"

"I will  _never_  leave you, Yuffie." Vincent breathed as his lips traveled up Yuffie's jaw. "I will  _always_  be with you. . .you are always my graceful dragonfly."

_"Always."_

Yuffie shook her head and reached out as Vincent smiled and faded from view. She started to tremble violently as she pulled her fingers back and grabbed the sides of her head. The charm that she had claimed from Vincent's chest started to glow in between her fingers as she shook.

"No. . ."

The light grew brighter as she started crying.

"No. . .Vince. . .Vin . . ."

Without warning, Yuffie threw her head up to the sky and screamed with agony.

**"VINCENT!"**

**_". . .release. . ."_ **

**_"NOW, INFINITE CHAOS!"_ **

The final rays of exploding light came from the Triple Infinity as the last, holiest round left the barrel of the weapon. Rainbow studded light shot up into the orb in between Yuffie's suspended arms as thunder roared from the black hole in the sky. As the bullets struck the holding cell for the captured Lifestream, it shattered in a cataclysm of sound and light.

JENOVA was ripped apart by the increasingly strong light pouring from Yuffie's body as the Princess of Wutai screamed in agony and lifted her tear stained face to the sky. She ripped her arms away as her wings spread out behind her and the wall of green that had been sustaining Infinite Chaos jumped from his body to hers. As the final chaos ripped the night sky to shreds and returned the Lifestream to its proper course, Infinite Chaos's hand fell away from the Triple Infinity.

He smiled faintly as his heart stopped in his chest and his narrow eyes trained on Yuffie's gracefully tragic form. As his wings buckled and he began falling to the waiting earth below, Infinite Chaos' form crumbled and transformed.

_"Well done, Vincent. . .well done."_

As he hit the ground with a sickening thud, the chaos that had surrounded the holy grotto was engulfed in a whirlwind of color and light until nothing remained but the silence of a calm, peaceful night.

As the stars returned to their rightful place in the sky and the remainders of JENOVA's rule finally faded from the planet, Vincent Valentine's glazed, narrow eyes stared above him blankly from the shallow pools where he had collected the Wutai Princess months before.

A smile on his face, a bleeding hole in his chest, and a peace greater than death in his fading soul surrounded the gunslinger as the grotto whispered his name.

Her life over his. . .

He was complete.


	21. Sanctus

The night air was cool and quiet as the waterfall softly splashed in the pool of the Kisaragi deceased. The stars shone above as the trees slowly whispered to one another. Green souls emerged from the darkness and surrounded the grotto as quiet footsteps walked upon the water in the pool. Green ripples followed Mizuki Kisaragi as she slowly set her daughter upon the rock overlooking the pool.

Mizuki painfully frowned and brushed Yuffie's hair out of her face as the ninja whimpered painfully and clutched the Kisaragi charm in her hand. The ancient Empress kept her fingers pressed against Yuffie's face as she smiled and watched the light of purity flow through her daughter once more.

**_"Dear, Yuffie, my little butterfly. . .forgive me. . ."_ **

She turned as several souls made rustling noises on the sandy shore as they gathered around Chaos' crouched form beside the slain gunslinger.

Mizuki painfully looked at Yuffie and kissed her daughter's forehead before turning away.

**_"I promise, I will return your happiness, daughter. . .I promise."_ **

She let her hand fall away from Yuffie's crying body as she began walking toward Chaos.

Mizuki quietly kept her distance as she heard Chaos' soft sobs. She seemed forlornly happy as she observed Chaos' prone, heaving form as the demon pulled the gunslinger's body from the water and held it in his arms.

**_"Chaos. . .it will be all right. . .just as he said."_ **

Chaos turned with tears streaming down his demon face. His eyes were alight with pain as he looked at Mizuki with a cross between hatred and agony.

_"What hope is there for a body without a soul. . .?"_

Mizuki smiled.

**_"His body isn't what we need, Chaos, you know that. It's his soul we need. . .and it is his soul we have. If it will make you feel better, you can come with us. Perhaps an integration from birth is just what Vincent will need in the future."_ **

Chaos painfully looked down at the pale face of the gunslinger he had learned to love and trust. His only known universe was this poor wretch's body, and despite being set free, he had not found peace or happiness outside of Vincent Valentine.

Chaos scoffed.

Listen to him. Demons weren't  _supposed_  to be happy. What was he talking about? Why did he care if a host was dead? What was it to him?

But even as he thought those questions and tried to come up with the "proper" answers, Chaos knew that he couldn't deny what was true. Looking into the dead eyes of a man that had given more than any other human could ever return to him, Chaos knew that the only reason he still existed was because of Vincent Valentine.

And for that, he wanted to be grateful.

 _"You swear you won't harm it?"_  he asked softly.

 ** _"You have my word, Chaos."_** Mizuki said with a smile.  ** _"He will not be harmed."_**

She watched as Chaos pondered this a moment longer before nodding silently and sliding his arms underneath Vincent's body. As the demon lifted the fallen warrior in his arms and turned to her, she smiled again.

**_"You cannot answer the questions you ask because you already possess the knowledge, Chaos. Your heart is Vincent Valentine's. Your will is one and the same, you said it yourself. It only makes sense that you lament his death."_ **

_"Because of **her**."_

Chaos and Mizuki looked over at Yuffie as the young ninja cried Vincent's name and started sobbing.

Mizuki smiled and nodded.

**_"Because of what he cannot share with her. . .for what he lost. . .and for what she can no longer touch. His pain is yours. . .just as your pain was his. You and my daughter share the same loss. . .in the one you both love the most."_ **

Chaos looked at the Empress with a stoic countenance. He slowly turned his head back to Yuffie and winced faintly before turning away and shaking his head.

_"Will she be all right. . .?"_

**_"It will be hard for the first few weeks. . .but the pain will ebb. . .and I never go back on my word. . ."_**  Mizuki replied softly.

_"How long do you think it will take?"_

**_"It depends really."_**  Mizuki said carefully.  ** _"On his will. . .and. . ."_**

Chaos frowned as Mizuki touched his arm with a smile.

**_". . .yours."_ **

_"Then I guess we had better get started."_  Chaos replied turning away and walking toward the waterfall.

Mizuki laughed softly as the other souls in the grotto followed Chaos through the green portal. She smiled faintly as she took one more look at her daughter. She shook her head as she heard loud shouts in the distance.

**_"Have heart, Yuffie. Have heart and I promise. . .all will be well. Take care, my little butterfly._ **

**_"And have faith in him."_ **

With that, Mizuki slowly turned away and slowly began walking toward the waterfall. As her body passed through it, a green glow lifted from around the water and it all returned to normal.

From the boulder where she rested, Yuffie Kisaragi's hand slid from her chest and the charm that had been clenched in her fingers fell to the cold, wet stone beneath her. As tears continued to pour from her eyes, the Kisaragi charm shimmered a bright lavender before turning a brilliant crimson.

_". . .always be with you. . ."_

_" **ALWAYS**."_


	22. Largo

_"Should we tell her now. . .?"_

_"She's going to find out sooner or later, Tifa. If we keep it from her she's only going to be more upset."_

_"But, Cloud. . .she's been through so much already!"_

_"I'm sorry, Tifa. . .that's how I feel about it. . .and so does everyone else."_

_"If you think it's what's best."_

The room was quiet and dark save for the steady beeps coming from the machines attached to the small, curled up body in the bed. The light fell across the pale, pitiful form of Yuffie Kisaragi as the ninja's lavender eyes narrowed painfully. Tears slid across her cheeks as she brought her knees tighter to her chest and clenched the dimly lit orb in her closed fist. The voices of her friends outside her door confirmed everything the ninja already knew to be fact. She didn't really need to hear it to know that Vincent Valentine was dead.

Her heart hurt so much, she already knew when she had woken up in the WRO medical ward that she had done so alone.

Vincent was dead, and it was  _her_  fault.

Yuffie closed her eyes and softly sobbed as she brought the warm, glowing light to her chest and trembled.

Why did  _she_  get to live? What gave  _her_ the right to breathe? She had nearly destroyed the entire planet because she wasn't strong enough to fight JENOVA. What was worse, Vincent was killed by her own hand and Rina had been found in a meadow nearby covered in bloody filth and JENOVA remnants. If it hadn't been for her weakness and a power she didn't know she had, Yuffie would still have what made her heart complete. She would still be a normal, happy-go-lucky ninja pilfering from her friends and waiting for Cloud and Tifa to have little brats of their own.

Now, Yuffie Kisaragi had nothing. She had nothing except a hole in her heart and love wasted on a man she'd slain.

This made Yuffie cry harder and her heart rate sky rocketed as air failed to make it into her heaving lungs. She curled up tighter as she heard the distinct warning beep of danger coming from down the hall at the nurses' station. She didn't want to care anymore.

There was no reason to care.

"Kisaragi-chan! What in heaven's name!"

Yuffie didn't bother fighting the hands that pried her knees from her chest and straightened her body out against the sheets and pillows. The machines continued to beep incessantly as a couple of nurses tried to calm her down. One told the other to find a particular medication, but this made the ninja irate as she shook her head and started wailing.

She'd had enough of the darkness.

She didn't  _want_  to be alone in the darkness anymore.

"Kisaragi-san, please! Please, you  _must_  calm down!" cried the nurse beside her as she tried to pin down the ninja's arms.

Yuffie screamed harder as tears ran down her face.

"I KILLED HIM! I KILLED HIM!"

"Yuffie!"

Tifa gasped and looked at Cloud with pain as she and buster sword wielder came into the room, but Cloud put a hand on Tifa's shoulder to keep her from advancing.

"Cloud!"

"Tifa, let her cry."

Cloud painfully spoke as he looked at the thrashing young woman in the bed with stressed, blue eyes. Aeris and Zack flashed against his memory as he looked away and faced Tifa.

"If she never gets it out now, she will never make peace with it. . .and it will eat her from the inside out. She'll become empty and never find what used to make her whole."

Tifa's eyes narrowed as she heard Cloud's own pain come up through his voice. Tears slowly formed under her eyelids as she shook her head and threw her arms around Cloud's neck.

Cloud painfully winced as he wrapped his arms around the martial artist.

"It's not fair!" Tifa whispered fiercely as the second nurse returned with Yuko and Edward in tow. "It's not fair and she doesn't deserve this!"

"I know, Tifa." Cloud said softly as he looked up and watched Edward gently restrain Yuffie and whisper something in the ninja's ear.

He looked away and closed his eyes as he heard Yuffie's mournful wail rise up from her throat and the ninja fell still

"I know."

"I should. . .I should have been the one that DIED!" Yuffie sobbed as the first two nurses stepped away from her and Yuko sat down beside the ninja. "It should have. . .should have been ME!"

Edward frowned a little and turned to the nurses huddled next to one another.

"Thank you, Diana, Maria. Yuko and I will handle it." he said softly.

One of the nurses nodded quickly and gave a gentle push to the other as she began walking out of the room.

"Cloud, Tifa. . .do you mind if we have a few words with Yuffie alone?" Edward asked.

Tifa turned and looked like she wanted to protest as Yuffie continued to cry and sob into Yuko's shoulder, but Cloud restrained her and looked at Edward with a nod.

"Of course, Edward. Come on, Tifa."

Tifa painfully looked at Yuffie as Cloud gently led her out.

"But. . ."

"It's not our place right now, Tifa. . .trust me." Cloud said looking at her with bright, blue eyes. "Come on."

As the door shut behind the two warriors, Edward slowly turned his gaze to Yuffie as the ninja's body slumped wearily against Yuko's. Edward walked forward into the dim light as Yuko looked up at him.

"Yuffie, I know it hurts," Edward said gently as he looked down at Yuffie, "but you must get a hold of yourself."

Yuffie looked up at him with a red countenance and blood shot eyes. Tears were running down her face as her body trembled and breath heaved in and out of her lungs. She glared.

"Why should I? I have nothing left in this world. Why should I get a hold of myself?"

"Because you are not alone." Edward replied almost spitefully. "You are more connected to Vincent than you or even  _he_  realized."

Yuffie was taken back by this statement and looked at the towering doctor with a shudder in her spine. She painfully shook her head as tears ran down her face. She felt her anger and pain drifting out of her as fatigue set into her weary body.

"What are you talking about?"

"What Edward means, Yuffie," Yuko said cutting her husband off and shooting him a glare, "is that there was something Vincent did not foresee when he came after you in that clearing a few days ago."

Yuko's soft, calming voice eased Yuffie's eyes away from Edward's stoic, chiseled face as the ninja felt a weird aura flow over her.

"What. . ."

"You're pregnant, Yuffie." Edward said before his wife could respond. "What you are doing to yourself will only harm your body, and the body of your unborn child."

Yuffie was stunned as tears slowly plopped to her hands on the sheets beneath her. She heard the words as Edward continued speaking about how Vincent would not want her to do this to herself, but at some point, the ninja was completely alone in the room. Darkness surrounded her as she sat in the beam of light that protected her from harm. A thousand thoughts bombarded her mind as she sat dumbfounded.

_"Pregnant? But, how! I mean. . .so soon. . .and . . . without Vincent. It just isn't fair. . .it isn't fair that a child grow up without knowing what a great man his father was. . .can I even handle this alone? A baby! I am still a baby myself! How can I do this alone! Oh, oh, Vincent. . .how could I have done this. . .how could you leave me here. . .WHAT HAVE I DONE!"_

"Get out."

Edward stopped and looked at Yuffie as the ninja spoke in a cold, hateful tone.

"Yuffie, I know it is overwhelming, but believe me when I say you are not alone!" Yuko said quickly as she noted the familiar, crazed look in Yuffie's eyes. "You have many wonderful, loving friends that will help you in any way they can. Edward and I took care of Vincent when he needed someone, and we will do the same for you, I promise. But you must not lose hope! You must not give in to the darkness or the cold hatred that runs through your blood now. I know it hurts, and for now, you can be angry and sad and hurt, but soon it will be time to heal."

Yuffie trembled terribly as more tears spilled over her cheeks.

"When, though?" she whispered painfully.

She looked at Yuko with anguish on her face as she shook her head.

"WHEN WILL THE PAIN GO AWAY!"

Yuko took the ninja tightly in her arms and held her close as Yuffie started sobbing uncontrollably. Yuffie weakly wrapped her arms around Yuko as she buried her head in the woman's neck. A calming, peaceful aura surrounded this woman as Yuko spoke.

"I do not know when, Yuffie. You loved Vincent very much, and the pain in your heart is aching with guilt and regret. But you have to remember all of the good and the pleasure of being with him. You have to let that light fill your entire being. Let it wash over you and  _make_  you remember that he was your one, true love, and there was no one else in this world that you could have loved more.

“Take heart in the fact he has left you with a beautiful and very precious gift. Love this child with all of your heart.  _You_  can show your child that his or her father was a strong, heroic man that gave all for the ones he loved most.  _You_  can tell the story the way it was  _meant_  to be told."

Yuffie looked at Yuko as the woman leaned her back and gently cupped the ninja's face in her hands.

Yuko smiled as she shook her head.

"You can set him free."

Yuffie broke down against Yuko and let the woman hold her. She was so overwhelmed with emotion and grief, she didn't know  _what_  to do.

"Living is all you  _can_  do, Yuffie."

Yuffie looked up at Edward as he spoke gently to her. Her lavender eyes contrasted sharply with her skin as the doctor sighed.

"That is all Vincent wanted from you. . .was for you to live. . ."

"But. . .how can I. . .without my heart?"

Yuffie's quiet whisper faded into a fresh wave of tears as the ninja doubled over herself and started sobbing again.

Yuko sighed softly and shook her head as she held Yuffie tighter and looked up at her husband with a small frown.

"You are terrible with matters of the heart." she scolded gently.

Edward shrugged his arms.

"I fix the ailments of the body. I never claimed to be able to fix emotion."

"It's. . .it's all right." Yuffie whispered lifting her head from Yuko's shoulder and trembling. "I am a big baby anyway. . ."

"There is nothing wrong with crying for the loss of your lover." Yuko said softly. "You can cry all you want."

Edward was silent as he heard the underlying tone in his wife's voice. His eyes narrowed slightly as he remembered holding a sobbing Yuko many years ago. Yuko had miscarried and lost both twins she had carried near to full term. His wife had been extremely ill for months after it.

Between suicide attempts and the pain, he had almost lost his own love. She had cried for hours and days afterward, but just as she had said to Yuffie, one day he had woken up and found Yuko in the garden as calm as could be. The pain had gone away, she had said, and she was ready to move on.

They never tried to have children again after that.

He was too scared. . .too frightened to see what could happen to Yuko.

"Vincent didn't like it when I cried."

Yuffie's voice cut up through Edward's thoughts as the doctor looked at the ninja with a start.

A faint smile appeared on Yuffie's face as the ninja wrapped her arms around herself.

"He said it made it feel like I was in a pain he could not stop. . .I always told him he was silly."

She looked at Yuko as she felt a calmness settle through her. Tears still trickled their way out of her eyes, but she suddenly felt a great weight shift in her chest as the orb in her hand shimmered a faint red. A warm light passed through her arm and into her heart causing her to look down at the charm. She watched the light swirl through it for a moment before painfully wincing and shaking her head.

"I just. . .can't believe he's gone, that's all." she breathed. "I didn't have enough time. . .to show him how much I loved him. . ."

"He knew, Yuffie." Edward said suddenly. "Vincent knew."

Yuffie looked at him before looking at the charm in her palm.

"I don't want this power to fall into my child's hands." she said softly. "I don't want another Kisaragi to have to face what I did."

Yuko gently put her hand on Yuffie's shoulder and looked at her with a worried countenance.

"Be careful, Yuffie, that power is connected to very deepest part of you. Perhaps you should wait until you are feeling a bit better before you make a decision of that magnitude."

Yuffie's eyes grew distant as she watched the red in the orb pulse up at her. She felt oddly detached from the power that had made her a captive and as she blinked and closed her eyes, she knew that her mind was set. However, for the sake of Yuko who was clutching her arm, the ninja smiled faintly and nodded slightly.

"All right."

Edward sighed as Yuffie coughed violently and gently clutched her side.

"This is  _also_  why you need to relax and try to calm yourself." he said as he lifted the hem of Yuffie's shirt.

The ninja was startled as she saw blood spots appearing through white bandages wrapped around her middle and chest. She looked up at Edward as he gently prodded her side before pulling his hand away and lowering Yuffie's shirt over her stomach.

"Your previous wound ruptured when the others found you in the grotto. Your body has been through so much physical anguish that putting it through any more stress will kill you. Your body is in a fragile state and with a baby to worry about, it will be imperative that you rest and recover."

Yuffie smiled a little as she felt the light in her heart suddenly brighten. She felt Vincent's hands tugging at her gently as she slowly let her hands fall to her abdomen. The warmth that was emanating from her was welcome as she looked up at Edward and nodded.

"I understand." she whispered.

Yuko gently eased Yuffie back against her pillows and brought her blankets up around her as she stood up.

"We will take care of you for now, Yuffie. Vincent asked us to before he set out to find you." she said softly.

"You really loved Vincent, didn't you?" Yuffie asked suddenly as she looked up at Yuko and then turned to Edward. "He wasn't just something you felt responsible for. . .you. . .honestly loved him."

Yuko looked up at Edward expecting him to fire off a retort, but her eyes widened as she saw her husband's face sag and his eyes grow weary. She remained silent as Edward looked at the floor and spoke.

"Vincent Valentine was stronger than anyone ever gave him credit for. He made me see that no matter what happened around here, there were worse fates. No matter how many wars were lost or battles forfeited, Vincent's presence reminded me that there were consequences to every action. He taught me that despite all of the odds, he was on top of the world. And it wasn't until he met  _you_ , Yuffie, that I finally saw the desperate change in him that I had begged of him my whole life.

“He had grown into himself and felt a worth in his existence again. All of the stitching and the nagging I did to him only repaired what he had broken, but it didn't solve the problem. It wasn't until you that he found his reason for everything. It was in  _that_  moment that I realized all of my work, all of my time, and all of my energy had been well invested.

"I had healed a heart more scarred than my own."

Yuffie listened with a small start before turning to Yuko as she felt the woman's fingers twitch against her arm. The ninja felt the emotion in the room mixing with her own and sighed softly.

"Vincent. . .was my everything. . .and. . ."

The Princess of Wutai looked at the orb glistening in her hand as she felt everything before her time with Vincent Valentine melt away. Her eyes narrowed as she felt her mother letting go of her from beyond the Lifestream. She clenched the orb in her hand as she looked up with determined resolution.

"I never want another person to die for me because of this wretched piece of glass." she said firmly. "I never want my child to have to worry about living a normal, happy life because of a stupid family tradition. No, from this day forward, I renounce my throne and my name."

Yuko gasped and looked at the ninja with shock.

"Yuffie!"

Edward was silent as Yuffie turned to him with a firm frown.

"When I am well enough, I want to go home."

"There are arrangements to take you back to Wutai as soon as. . ."

"No," Yuffie said cutting Yuko off, "not Wutai. That is not my home."

Edward crossed his arms and smirked a little as he looked at the former princess suddenly sprouting her own wings in front of him.

"Then where, pray tell, would be your home, Miss Kisaragi?"

"Apartment 35D, Callwater Street, in Kalm." Yuffie replied tartly looking up at her physician with a small glare. "And it isn't 'Kisaragi' anymore. My child will not carry that wretched name."

"Then, what shall I call you?" Edward asked with some amusement.

"Valentine. My name is Yuffie Valentine, thank you very much." Yuffie replied with a firm nod.

"Yuffie, renouncing your throne is serious business." Yuko warned with disapproval. "There is no other heir to Wutai's lands and your father isn't the healthiest of them all. If he finds out you have forsaken your name and run away again, he might not survive it!"

"My life, my choice." Yuffie replied stubbornly. "That bastard has had plenty of time to ignore me so it's his own, damn fault. My baby will not be subjected to that place."

"But you love Wutai, Yuffie." Edward said conceding to his wife. "That is where your history lies, as well as Vincent's and your child's."

Yuffie frowned and shook her head.

"I forsake the throne, and if I go back to Wutai, it will be  _only_  as a native. Nothing more."

Yuko sighed softly and hung her head as Edward smiled with a chuckle.

"Well, you have done a lot of growing up in the last few minutes, Yuffie."

"You have to, Dr. Shimura." Yuffie replied softly as she looked off to the side. "Especially when you are a single parent trying to raise your child to believe in a man who cannot hold them or love them."

Edward watched another tear slide down Yuffie's cheek before sighing softly.

"Yuffie, believe me when I say that there is nothing Vincent would have loved more than to be here with you and this unborn child. . .but he isn't far away, and as long as the light in your heart stays strong for him, he will always be close to you and your family."

Yuffie looked at Edward with a pitiful smile.

"It's not the same as real life, though, Ed. . .it's like make believe with paper dolls and broken memories. . .it's pretend."

Edward painfully watched Yuffie's hope turn to stone as the ninja rested back against her pillows and winced.

The ninja really would lose everything if they weren't careful.

"I'm tired." Yuffie breathed. "And I want to go home. . ."

"I will make arrangements to find suitable roommates for you while you are recovering." Edward said as Yuko patted Yuffie's hand and slowly returned to his side. "You will need constant care for the next few weeks, and seeing as this place isn't doing you much good, I will try to find people equally as crazy."

Yuffie smiled a little as her eyes closed and her head started to fall to the side.

"Are. . .Rina and Vox. . . .okay?"

"They will be fine." Yuko said softly. "Just rest, Yuffie, and leave it to us. . ."

"Thank you. . .for. . .loving me. . ."

Edward winced and turned away as the ninja fell asleep and the machines beside her beeped slower.

Yuko watched her husband leave the room before slowly turning back and looking at Yuffie as she snored softly.

"Oh, Yuffie. . .I hope you know what you are doing." she whispered looking at the floor. "If you aren't careful. . .you will never get your light back. . .and you will never be complete. Please, take care."

Without another word, Yuko quietly backed out of the room and shut the door behind her. As the door clicked closed and Yuffie continued to slumber, the stone in her hand sighed softly and released a calming, soothing aura wrapped in red. From the darkness, a pair of liquid amber eyes watched over the sleeping woman.

_"Do not worry, Sufferer. . .she will not fail. . ._

_"I will complete her."_


	23. Dolce

**_"RINA!"_ **

**_"Vox, you have to calm down. You are injured yourself."_ **

**_"Don't tell me to calm down, goddammit! What in the hell happened to her!"_ **

**_"She defeated her worst fear, Vox. She was the one who stopped Nicoli so Vincent could save Yuffie."_ **

**_"What! WHY! WHY did SHE have to do it!"_ **

**_"Vox, calm down. She was the only one that COULD."_ **

**_"But. . .ALONE?"_ **

**_"No, Cloud Strife helped her for the most part."_ **

**_". . ."_ **

**_"Try not to yell so much, Blue. . .you'll bring down the rest of the house I just got done fixing!"_ **

**_"Shut up, Reno."_ **

**_"What, I was just about to scold his ass for back sassing his superiors, but then I thought I'd tell him it was Rude and I that watched over HIS ass when he was unconscious . . . and then WE were the ones that went out to find Elena, Tseng, and Rina, when all of this shit went down!"_ **

**_"You. . .you watched over me?"_ **

**_"Couldn't lose another mouthy recruit in one day."_ **

**_"Besides the fact your gunslinging skills are unmatched. Vincent taught you well, didn't he?"_ **

**_"Yes, Commander. . .he did."_ **

**_"Don't worry so much, Vox. It will be all right. Edward says she will make a full recovery. She just needs rest and recuperation. . .that's all."_ **

**_". . ."_ **

**_"Come on, everyone, let's leave them alone. We have other issues to discuss with Reeve."_ **

**_"Catch ya on the flip side, Ice Head!"_ **

**_"Reno!"_ **

**_"Whaaat? It's not like he cares. . .!"_ **

**_"Reno. . ."_ **

There were voices bouncing off the interior of Andrina Patrice's mind as she softly took a deep breath and moved the fingers on her left hand. A steady beep drifted through the air as a dull pain traveled up the inner workings of her right arm. Her eyes were heavy behind closed lids as the young woman made a small noise in her throat and winced.

_"Everything. . .everything seems so heavy. . .where am I? What happened?"_

Rina slowly opened her eyes a little and glared against the dim light that came from above her bed. Her narrow, green eyes were watery and exhausted as they gazed at their surroundings. The white plaster ceilings and the scratchy, linen sheets quickly alerted her to the fact that she was no longer in the forest and upon further investigation, Rina concluded that she was back at WRO Headquarters. She winced as the sensor on her left index finger and the splint on her right arm narrowed down her search for answers.

Her long, red brown hair was sprayed out on the pillows beneath her head and a soft hospital gown covered the remainder of her body as Rina slowly clenched her fingers.

_"How. . .how did I get back here?"_

The battle with Nicoli flashed against her retinas and caused her to gasp painfully as she closed her eyes and breathed heavily. The green lightning that had zipped through her before faintly returned to her fingertips as she tried to calm herself down.

It was over.

She had won.

If that was true, why was she so afraid!

Through her tremor, Rina heard a soft, scraping noise from across the darkness. Unable to break herself of the nightmare, tears slowly slid down Rina's face.

_"God, please! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"_

"Rina?"

A gentle caress against her cheek instantly brought the tremouring woman out of her panic as her eyes opened against the bright light shining from the wall above her. The shadow that was standing over her bed quickly came into focus as Rina's breath caught in her throat.

His eyes. . .his eyes were looking at her with such concern. . .such pain. . .

Rina's heart leapt into her throat and her eyes filled with tears as she lunged upward and threw her good arm around the tall, leaning Turk that was watching her anxiously.

Vox cried out a little and quickly compensated for the change in weight by moving his feet and wrapping his left arm around the sobbing woman beneath him. His icy blue eyes shimmered as his mess of blue spikes mixed into Rina's long, flowing hair. He held her as tightly as he could without causing harm to her arm or his shoulder. His heart suddenly started beating full force as he kissed Rina's forehead and let his tears fall into her dark hair.

"It's okay, Rin. . .it's over. . .you're safe."

Rina sobbed harder and clutched at her partner as she buried her face in his neck. Her tears soaked his shirt as she shook her head and trembled.

Vox slowly leaned Rina back and ran his hand down her face as he sat down beside her. Her green eyes followed him as her good hand quickly came up on top of his and held it against her cheek. Vox watched her relish the feel for a moment before smiling at her and shaking his head.

"Thank you, Andrina. . ." he breathed softly. ". . .thank you. . .for loving me."

Rina's eyes narrowed as she smiled a little. She laughed and shook her head.

"No. . .No, Vox." she whispered. "Thank  _you_. I don't know what I would have done if I would have woken up without you here with me! I mean. . .who else is going to clean barracks with me!"

Vox almost painfully brought Rina's face upward as his lips came down upon hers. Tears slid down the sides of his face as he passionately kissed the woman in his arms.

There was no one else he wanted to love. He didn't have to search anymore. He didn't want to.

Rina looked up at Vox with a small gasp as he parted from her and slowly rested his forehead against hers.

Vox held her tightly as he gently shook his head.

"No one, Rin. . .no one."

"Vox. . .?"

Rina gasped as Vox pulled back and gazed at her as he took her hand tightly in his. She saw the pain in his eyes as he clenched her fingers.

"I don't ever want to lose you again, Rina." Vox breathed shaking his head. "I have to take care of you, okay? It's just something I want to do. . .I can't explain how empty it feels without you around. I can't explain how full you make my heart when you are with me. I don't want to give my heart to anyone else.

“I. . .I have tried to love before, but it has always ended badly for anyone involved with me. I didn't want my horrid past to claim you, too. I didn't want the things I have done or the things I still do to hurt you, Rin. I never. . . NEVER. . . .want to hurt you, do you understand? Never."

Rina was quiet for a few moments before smiling and freeing her hand from Vox's.

Vox watched with calm, blue eyes as Rina's fingers traced lines across his cheek and jawbone. He closed his eyes euphorically as a calm, soothing electricity passed through his skin and into his blood. The ache in the puncture wounds in his shoulder did not hurt quite as bad as Rina shook her head and pressed her palm against his cheek.

"Vox, there is no one else I'd rather be with. . .when you took that attack from my brother, I thought I was going to lose you! I hadn't been that scared since my mother died in front of me and that was so long ago. But I knew I had to save you and set things right. I went after my fears to conquer more than one injustice done to me. . ."

There was a small silence as Rina caught her breath and looked at her partner with a small laugh.

"And your past doesn't matter, Vox. . .mine is no better! What matters," Rina said lifting Vox's chin and admiring his face, "is what we do with the rest of our lives left. How we live  _now_  is what matters most. . .and the rest of my life wants to be with  _you_ , Vox. . .if you will let me love you. Because. . .because I love you, Vox Morinaga. I love you so much. . ."

Rina let out a sigh of relief as Vox tried not to violently pull her forward against his body as his lips came crashing down upon hers. Her hand buried it's pale digits in his blue, spikey hair as Vox's own hand held her powerless against his kiss.

Vox panted softly as he broke their kiss and closed his eyes while he relished the feel of Rina's heartbeat pulsing against his chest. He closed his eyes and shook his head as he held her.

"There's nothing that would make me happier, Rina." he breathed as he trembled. "I never want to leave you. . .never."

"Then you won't."

Vox leaned back and looked down at Rina as she smiled up at him warmly. Her green eyes shimmered as she tilted her head.

"We'll always be together. . .if that's what you want."

"It is." Vox breathed. "It is. . ."

Rina let him kiss her again as a small smile formed at the corner of her mouth. She enjoyed the warmth and taste of her partner's lips as she let herself be carried away in the feeling.

This  _was_  her heaven.

After they had parted, Rina looked at Vox expectantly as the blue haired Turk looked down and entwined his fingers with hers. There was another silence as Vox collected his thoughts. After a few more seconds, he slowly looked at Rina with an earnest smile as he shook his head.

"I love you, Rina. . .and. . .and I can't stop it. I want to . . . because I don't want to hurt you. . . but I don't want to be in a world without you."

Vox smiled and closed his eyes as Rina's hand broke from his again and ran through his hair. Her fingers across his scalp made his body tingle as he shook his head and looked at her.

"I love that, Rin."

Rina smiled.

"You are beautiful, Vox . . . simply unattainable. I love you. . .and what happens will. . .but we will have each other for as long as we need one another, okay? I promise. I will take care of you."

Vox laughed for a moment before wincing as his shoulder throbbed. He opened his eyes fully again when the pain had subsided as he looked at the woman in front of him with a shake of his head.

"Shouldn't  _I_  be caring for  _you_?"

"We'll care for each  _other_."

Vox smiled faintly and nodded.

"Each other, then."

Rina smiled back as she leaned forward into Vox's embrace and rested her head against his shoulder.

Vox held her tighter and closed his eyes as everything suddenly fell into place around him.

He felt whole again.

"Vox, will you tell me about your scars. . .when you feel up to it?"

Rina's request was so soft, Vox barely heard it through his bliss, but when the question had processed, Vox narrowly opened his eyes and frowned.

"My father did it. . .when I was just a kid." he said softly. "I was protecting my mother when she had gotten too drunk one night. . .but my father was extremely violent, and she was no better. My mother tried to provide for me most of the time, but for the remainder of the time she was just as abusive as he was. When I was 11 years old, I was trying to get my mother into bed when my father came home from work. When he saw me, he lost it and came after us.

“He batted me out of the way and started slapping my mother calling her a lazy, drunken whore which only enraged her. I tried to fight him off, but my father was ruthless. Eventually, Mom started grabbing the empty bottles off of the bedroom floor and started throwing them. She missed and hit me instead, and the floor was covered in broken glass.

"I was used to getting hit with things. My mother often didn't recognize me when she was drunk, so I had developed a high tolerance to pain at a young age. I also got very good at dodging things because of it. But that night, father had brought home his gun from work. He did detective work for the local police precinct, and when my mother told my father he was a work a holic, cheating son of a bitch, he pulled it out on her.

"I don't think he actually  _meant_  to shoot at her. I think he was just at the breaking point and she pushed him over the edge. My mother was about to start throwing things again when I saw my father cock the gun and aim. I ran to try and move his arm, but I got hit by something my mother had thrown and when I collided with my father, he instinctively shot down at me.

"I don't remember much after that. He had tagged me three times before my mother screamed at him enough and lunged at him. Everything was dark after that. By the time my mother had managed to call the paramedics and get help, I had already lost a lot of blood. They didn't think I would survive at all."

Vox stopped for a moment and winced as Rina slowly leaned back and looked at him with wide, green eyes shimmering with tears. She shook her head as tears slowly slid down Vox's face.

"Oh. . .oh, Vox. . ."

"I guess, fortunately for me. . ." Vox continued with a scornful laugh. ". . .my old man loved me more than I thought, and he donated the blood I needed to live. Of course it was most of his own, and even though he hated my mother and the situation my birth and her alcoholism had caused, he still felt terrible about what he had done to me.

“But, I heard about that later. . .before I ever got out of surgery, my father had wandered out of the hospital and disappeared. They found him several days later in the woods where he had collapsed. He died shortly after. I never got to say what I wanted. . .I never got  _my_  closure. . .and my mother never got any better, so child services took me from her and placed me in the care of my older sister whom I loved very much."

Vox looked at Rina with pain as he shook his head.

"I loved Rachel so much, it hurt. . .and when she died. . . I didn't know what to do with all of the pain and anger inside of my heart. When I couldn't stop her from getting sick. . .when I couldn't keep her from leaving her children and her husband that loved her. . .I felt no better than our parents.

“I vowed never to let my heart love again. I vowed never to get attached, and never to be weak. I joined the Turks because I wanted to be strong enough to defend  _all_ of the weak and defenseless. I wanted to be  _their_  strength. . .for the strength I couldn't give the ones I loved most. . .for everything. . ."

Vox held Rina tightly as the young woman threw herself into his arms. Tears streamed down his face as he shook.

It had been years since he had told anyone that story. . .and it felt like a welcome release. . .

"Oh, Vox. . .I'm so sorry!" Rina whispered as she held the man in front of her tighter.

Tears formed underneath her eyes as she shook her head.

"I'm so sorry!"

Vox leaned back and shook his head as his tear stained, blue eyes looked into Rina's glossy green ones.

"No, Rina. . .please, please don't apologize. It's. . .it's in the past, where it belongs. . .just like your family. It's all  _over_. All that matters is what  _we_  do together. What makes  _me_  happy is the future we can build together. . . maybe even with a family of our own someday. That's all that I care about, do you understand?"

Rina smiled at the mention of a family with the one that had her heart.

She nodded as she pressed her palm against Vox's face.

"Of course, Vox. . .and that is all I ever want, as well." she replied. "A future with you."

Vox smiled back and leaned forward.

As his lips found Rina's and he slowly leaned her back against her pillows, the door to the room silently closed upon them.

From the outside, Yuko smiled and placed a special marker on the door handle as she leaned against the door frame and sighed softly.

"It is coming together." she breathed as she closed her eyes. "All we need is  _you_ , Yuffie."

With that, the woman eased herself upright and continued on down the hall to her third patient of the night.


	24. Fantasia

The fluorescent lights buzzed softly above Shelke Rui as she painfully took another breath and winced. The wound in her chest ached miserably despite the drugs being administered through IV. The machines beside her beeped a steady rhythm as the young Tsviet readjusted herself against the pillows and closed her eyes.

Battle shouldn't have to hurt so much.

Shelke turned her head to the door hopefully as a knock sounded and the door opened. She tried not to let her disappointment show as Yuko peeked her head inside and smiled at her. Shelke smiled faintly, her bright, blue eyes shimmering as the mako crystal beside her glittered from on top of the blankets. Shelke's long, red hair was tied back in a loose braid that fell over her shoulder as Yuko stepped into the room and checked the machines at her bedside.

"Good evening, Shelke," Yuko said happily enough as she did her work, "are you feeling well?"

"A little sick to my stomach, but it is probably from all of the medication." Shelke replied as she folded her hands on her lap. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Have you not slept?" Yuko asked softly as she stopped and looked at the young woman.

Shelke shook her head as she looked down.

"No."

Yuko looked at her for a moment before smiling and laughing softly.

"He's worried about you, you know. Even if he isn't here, he's very worried."

Shelke was startled and looked up as Yuko walked to the foot of her bed and picked up a metal chart hanging there.

"What?"

"You haven't slept because of two things. . ." Yuko replied as she wrote several things on the chart before looking up at the woman in front of her. ". . .one, the wound is probably making it very difficult to fall asleep comfortably without feeling like you are suffocating to death. And, two. . .you miss Reeve. You miss being right there to help him. I am sure the latter is the bulk of your insomnia woes. . .but rest assured, Shelke, he misses you, too. The Commander is at a loss without his right hand."

Shelke was quiet as Yuko finished what she was doing.

She had never really thought about it like that. Yes, it was true that the wound was making it extremely difficult to get a good night's rest, but it really was the itching to be up and in battle again that was bothering her more. She was concerned more with the fact that she didn't know what was going on than her own health and that startled her. Who was she really kidding, though?

She missed being at Reeve's side.

"Don't worry, Shelke, he couldn't make his coffee without you nearby. He wouldn't know  _what_  to do if you were out of his life permanently."

Shelke looked up at Yuko as the nurse returned the chart to her bed frame and looked at her with a bright smile.

"Really?" she asked softly despite herself.

Yuko smiled again and nodded.

"Really."

Shelke was silent as Yuko sighed and went on about how this base would be nothing without the two of them working together, but she was only half listening. Even though she knew Reeve felt strongly toward her, it was something completely new and exciting to hear someone else echo those opinions to her. It was almost . . .

". . .like he loves me. . ."

Shelke blushed a deep scarlet as she heard the words escape her lips before she could stop them.

Yuko stopped talking and smiled warmly as she crossed her arms.

"Well, of course he does, Shelke." she admitted softly. "There is no one he wants to care for more in the world."

"But why?"

Shelke put her hands over her mouth to keep herself from saying anything else as Yuko laughed.

"I think the question should be 'why  _not_ ,' Shelke. You are a wonderful, beautiful young woman and you have changed a lot in your life since you started working with Reeve. You have become the loving, caring woman your sister so desperately wanted to save. You make them both very, very proud, Shelke. Don't forget that.

“Reeve is astounded by the progress you've made, and you shine brighter than he could ever hope to shine. You are his light, Shelke. You're the reason he keeps trying, even when it is plainly time to quit. If you show even the  _slightest_  bit of faith in the situation, he won't give up because he knows if you have faith, then it is worth fighting for.  _You_  are worth fighting for."

Yuko nodded with conviction as she stopped talking and turned away from the silent woman.

"I will see about finding some better medication for you, all right, Shelke?" she added as she went to the door. "Your body needs rest, and we'll have to give it rest one way or another."

Yuko smiled as she paused in the doorway and turned around to face Shelke.

"And don't worry about Reeve, Shelke. . .he  _does_  admire you. . .and you are always the  _first_  thing on his mind. I will be back to check on you in a couple of hours."

Shelke looked at the door dumbfounded as Yuko quietly left and the door clicked shut after her. The mako crystal beside the stunned woman shimmered faintly as Shelke finally lowered her head and stared at her lap as Yuko's words ricocheted around the walls of her mind.

Even the most logical deduction didn't make sense anymore.

Shelke was about ready to give up on the whole idea altogether until she heard frantic footsteps out in the hall. She sat up straighter out of instinct and instantly regretted it as pain seared through her sternum and she brought one of her hands up. Her face tightened in agony as she fell back against her pillows. Her heart rate picked up a little as she began gasping. This only made the burning worse as Shelke struggled to regain composure and control her breathing.

_"Stop panicking. . .stop it. . .STOP IT! CALM DOWN. . .CALM!"_

A strangled cry left Shelke's throat as tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

_"It hurts. . .it. . .hurts?"_

"Shelke!"

The door swung shut behind Reeve Tuesti as he quickly stepped inside the room and saw Shelke clenched in pain. He quickly walked forward and put his hand over Shelke's and calmly pried her fingers from the wound in her chest. He tried to control his nerves as he assessed the situation and acted accordingly.

Shelke's eyes came open with a start as a firm gust of wind entered her lungs. The warm air felt good on her constricting windpipe, but her eyes narrowed again as the burning in her chest continued to set her ribs ablaze.

_"I can't breathe. . .I can't. . ."_

"Come on, Shelke. Calm down."

A soft, familiar voice played in Shelke's head as she cried and tried to regain control. Another gust of wind, this time stronger than the first, filled her body with oxygen as the young woman's eyes turned glassy.

"I can't do this without you, Shelke. Please, calm down?"

_"I feel . . . dizzy."_

"Shelke, I love you, please, let me help you. . ."

A final gust of wind caused something in the ex-Tsviet to jerk and Reeve pulled away and carefully raised the woman up as she began violently coughing. He painfully winced and held Shelke's hand tighter as she gasped for air in between small cries of pain. Tears were streaming down her pale face as sweat beaded at her temple. Her heartbeat was erratic and Reeve turned his head to the door as Yuko and another nurse opened it with a start.

"Commander!" Yuko said with a hint of surprise. "I thought you were attending the Wutai affairs?"

Reeve frowned and turned back to Shelke as the woman fell back over his arm and continued to wheeze.

"I was," he admitted softly as he looked at Yuko again, "but I wanted to check on her."

Yuko smiled a little and shook her head.

"And very well could have saved her life by the looks of it." she said with a nod. "I had gathered she might have difficulty breathing, but she never said anything to any of us. I will start her on oxygen as soon as possible."

Reeve nodded silently and looked back at Shelke as she moaned softly.

Yuko nodded abruptly and bowed her head.

"We'll leave you for now, Reeve. Just hit the call button if you need one of us."

"Thank you, Yuko." Reeve said softly as he kept his eyes trained on the woman beside him.

Yuko smiled.

"Just doing my job, Commander."

Reeve looked to the side as Yuko and her partner left the room and the door shut once more. He frowned again and looked at Shelke as she painfully started to gasp for air again. He gently eased Shelke into a more comfortable position as he eased himself down beside her.

He looked down at the woman in his arms as he tilted her head forward so that she was leaning completely against his chest. He buried his hand in her red hair and gently ran his other hand up and down her arm as Shelke's breathing slowly started to calm.

"What is really causing you all this pain, Shelke?" the old, WRO commander mused aloud. "Is it the wound, or is it me?"

"There. . .there is. . .a gaping hole in my chest. . . Commander. It. . .makes it hard. . .to breathe. Unless. . .  _you_ are a gaping hole in . . . my chest. . .then. . .it. . .isn't. . .YOU!"

Reeve carefully, albeit quickly, leaned Shelke back as she softly wheezed the words into his chest and started coughing. He ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing sort of gesture as Shelke winced and slowly looked up at him.

"Sh. . .shouldn't you be. . .with the others. . .?"

Reeve frowned a little before shaking his head.

"I sent Cait in my place. I have more important things to worry about right here."

Shelke smiled faintly and closed her eyes as she leaned against Reeve.

"Thank you. . ."

Reeve looked down at Shelke as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Shelke." he replied gently. "You are my main priority. If I were to lose you, I don't know what I would do."

"Pour. . .your coffee in your shoe. . .and. . .wear your pants. . .backward. . ."

Reeve laughed as Shelke smiled against his jacket and clenched her fingers into a tight ball around his collar.

"More than likely, I would imagine." he mused as he tried to imagine Shelke's scenario. "Not only that, but who would be able to put up with my alter ego for more than several minutes without you? You know, you're the only one he minds, don't you?"

"Hmm. . .must be because. . .I scared him with. . .Clones 3 and 5." Shelke said softly.

Reeve smiled and put his cheek against Shelke's forehead.

"It's because I like you." he said suddenly. "He's the outlet for the affection I could never show you."

Shelke slowly pulled away from her commander and looked up into his eyes. Her blue spheres searched his tired ones as the mako crystal between them shimmered faintly. It's soft light played upon the undertones of Shelke's skin as Reeve slowly ran his palm up the side of her face. Shelke inhaled sharply and let her eyes close euphorically for a moment before she re-opened them again and watched Reeve expectantly.

Reeve winced a little before shaking his head.

"I couldn't tell you because you were doing so well. You were adapting and coming in of the beautiful person Shalua so desperately wanted you to become. I didn't want to interfere with your development. I felt that it would have been cutting your chances short.

“You are young enough to be my daughter, and yet, I find myself so drawn to you that I can't stop the feelings I have for you. Watching everything that has happened, and watching you take a certain pride and enjoyment in what you do is worth everything to me. I wanted to give you an honest chance with an honest man. I've done so much in my life. . ."

"Stop it, Reeve."

Reeve looked at Shelke as the young woman firmly cut the commander off and looked up at him with sharp, blue eyes. He waited with baited breath as Shelke ran her fingers across his jawbone.

"Just stop it. . ." she breathed leaning forward.

Reeve wrapped his arms around Shelke and held her gently against his chest as she leaned up and placed her lips against his.

As they parted, Shelke looked up at Reeve with a firm shake of her head.

"There is  _no one_  that could compare to you, Reeve. You and I are not that much different. What I lack in age you make up for . . . and I am not as young as I look , remember that for me. I have not led a guiltfree life, Reeve. And no matter what bullshit you feed me about it being circumstances beyond my control because of Deepground, I can never take back what I have done to you, to Vincent, to Shalua . . . to everyone.

“I can never go back and make it right.  I am making up for it now. . .just like you. So, if you were expecting me to spend my newly found affections on some young, inexperienced, unknowing fool. . .you were sorely mistaking, Commander."

Reeve was startled for a moment before letting his weathered face fall into a small smile.

"My mistake, Lieutenant." he said softly. "It will never happen again."

"See that it doesn't, Commander." Shelke replied curtly.

She smiled with her blue eyes warm with feeling.

"I may not be so kind next time. . ."

Reeve ran his fingers through the strands of Shelke's hair that were hanging out of her braid as he smiled easier and nodded.

"Understandably so." he agreed. "I will see to it that I am more respectful."

He stopped and looked into Shelke's eyes as she brought her free hand up and put her palm against his face.

"There can be no other for me, Reeve." she breathed softly. "My heart is only  _because_  of you. . . thank you."

The ex-Tsviet closed her eyes and let several tears fall as Reeve gathered her in his arms again and passionately kissed her lips. She clutched at him mercilessly with her good arm as she leaned into his shoulder.

Reeve closed his eyes and held the woman tightly as he shook his head on top of hers.

"There is no one else for me, either, Shelke. As much as I would have liked to see you do better, I can see that there is no way around it. I cannot live seeing you with another. I'm sorry, Shelke. But I think I am hopelessly, completely, and utterly in love with you."

Shelke smiled as tears continued to fall from her eyes.

"I love you too, Reeve." she breathed. "I love you too."

As the WRO Commander clutched his second in command tighter, Yuko slowly stepped away from the outside of the door with a small smile on her face. She hung another red tag on the door handle before nodding to herself and continuing on down the hall.

Now, there was only one more thing to put in order.

"Take heed, Guardian Chaos," Yuko breathed as she vanished into a dark corridor, "she will not go forward gracefully. . ."

 _"And I would have expected nothing less from the bride of my slain gunslinger."_  responded a voice from the dark.  _"Nothing less. . ."_


	25. Accent

"Is there any sign of Vincent's body?"

The Emperor of Wutai frowned deeply and looked down as sunlight drifted through the main courtyard where he sat with Cloud Strife, Rufus Shinra, and several Turks. Wutai soldiers patrolled the grounds around them as Godo looked up at the trees rustling their leaves.

"No. My men have scoured the Holy Ground for weeks now. We haven't found a trace of him. When we collected my daughter, she was the only one in the clearing."

Rufus nodded slowly and looked up at Tseng who stood silently beside him. Tseng nodded and turned away from the group as Rude and Reno took his place at Rufus' side.

"That is not surprising. The amount of Lifestream in the air in that exact location was tremendous. I am sure that with Vincent as weak as he was, his entire body was consumed as well. I was just making sure so that I can try and set your daughter's fears at ease."

"My daughter? You know where Yuffie is, Shinra?" Godo said with a start.

His voice was gruff and hateful, but his face was full of fear and worry.

Rufus smiled and laughed a little.

"Yes. Do not worry, your Majesty. She is quite well and being taken care of from a safe location. My two, bravest Turks are assisting her while she recovers."

Godo glared a little.

"So you know where she is then, do you?"

"She's safe, Godo." Cloud said with a bit of warning in his voice. "That should be enough for you right now."

Godo backed off slightly in the face of the buster wielder's tone. He owed a lot to Yuffie's young friends and Cloud Strife as an enemy would not bode well. The old, weathered emperor sighed and looked at Rufus.

"Is. . .is she well? Does. . .does she need. . ."

Godo struggled over the words as a lump rose in his throat. He had never given his daughter much thought because she was capable of taking care of herself without his assistance. She was strong and graceful. . .just like her mother. And he was seeing that resemblance for the first time.

Rufus smiled sympathetically as Godo furiously wiped tears out of his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Does she need anything?" the Emperor replied with a shaking voice.

His eyes bored into Rufus suspiciously as Rufus laughed softly and shook his head.

"I assure you she is quite well. But I will send her your best wishes." Rufus said assuredly.

He looked at the table where they all sat with surprise as Godo tossed a small, silken pouch with a faded design on it across the wooden surface toward him.

"I don't trust you, Rufus. I don't think I ever will because of what happened." Godo said sitting up straighter. "But you have a better head on your shoulders than your father. . .much like my daughter does her own. Please, take that to her. It was her mother's.

“It was supposed to be a wedding present. . .but her mother would have wanted her to have it now. She found something true and beautiful in something twisted and beastly. Much like her mother did me, Yuffie discovered love in the most unlikely place. . .and for that. . ."

Godo looked down at his folded hands as his tired body heaved a breath. He slowly lifted his face to the sky as the breeze picked up around him and caressed his cheeks. He felt his wife's presence at his shoulder as he opened his dark eyes and faced the two, young men sitting at his state table.

". . .for that I should be proud of her."

Rufus took the pouch from the table top and gently slid it into his jacket pocket as he nodded.

"I will see to it personally, your Majesty."

"Call me Godo, boy." Godo replied gruffly as he ruffled his kimono with a sigh. "There is nothing royal about me anymore. I do not know what I will do without an heir now. I'm hardly fit to rule this country as it is and you all know it."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't respect you, Godo." Rufus replied lightly.

He smiled at the old man across from him.

"I am sorry for what happened in the past, Emperor Godo. I can assure you are not the only one who feels the same way. Why, it took Cloud a very long time to see that I was in this for the Planet's sake and not my own. But for the sake of saying it, I am very sorry. I will try to win your respect if it is the last thing I do."

Godo looked up at Rufus as the young man rose to his feet in between Rude and Reno.

"I see." he said simply.

Rufus nodded.

"And don't worry about Yuffie, Godo." he said softly. "We are trying to convince her that her rash decision to give up her royalty was a harmful one."

"It doesn't matter, Rufus." Godo said looking off to the side with a shake of his head. "I knew she didn't want to rule this place. She is a soldier. . .not a ruler."

Rufus looked at the downtrodden king in front of him with a bit of sorrow as Cloud rose to his feet.

"Thank you for taking care of her for me." Godo said looking up at Cloud and Rufus. "It should have been me, but I neglected her, because I felt she was the reason my dear wife passed from this world. But I was a fool. Given what you have told me, and what I should have already known, I held a grudge against a girl who knew not of her true power and beauty. . .and for that the entire world suffered. My daughter also lost her most precious love."

Godo painfully winced and shook his head.

"That man. . .that gunslinger loved my daughter for everything she was, and what she wasn't. And when he was with her, my daughter was not only fearless and strong, she was beautiful and loved. Vincent Valentine was the strength in my daughter, and because of my foolishness, she no longer has that strength. I have taken from her what I promised myself secretly in the darkest parts of my heart to take from her. . ."

Cloud frowned a little as tears slid down the Emperor's face.

". . .I took her own love. . .I took it and destroyed it. What kind of father does that to his daughter? What kind of beast takes from the child his loved one gave them? How cruel and bastardly must one be? So, you see, Rufus, your father and I aren't much different, and I cannot say much for it anymore except that old habits die hard. Forgive me, son, but that is how my old heart works. Just please, please take care of my daughter as she deserved to be cared for from me."

"I will, Godo. I swear it."

Cloud looked at Rufus with a start as the young Shinra nodded resolutely and looked at his two Turks. The two of them turned away and started walking to the courtyard door as Rufus looked back at Godo.

"We all do things that make us ugly, Godo." Rufus said softly as she looked down at the ground. "We all make mistakes that scar us and those around us forever. . .but it is what we do afterward that determines if we truly mean what we say when we say 'we're sorry.'"

Rufus looked at Godo with a nod.

"I will tell Yuffie."

Godo nodded in return and watched as Rufus smiled and turned away. Elena walked behind him as Rude and Reno waited by the gate.

"You didn't take Yuffie's light, Godo. Vincent left it with her."

Godo looked up from the ground to the buster sword wielder who stood against the sunlight drifting through the clouds above.

"Cloud?"

Cloud adjusted the main piece of the buster sword in the holster on his back before slowly meeting Godo's dark, beady eyes with his bright, blue irises.

"Yuffie bears his child, and therefore bears the light that our gunslinger held for your ninja in his heart. You cannot take light, Godo. You can only make it stronger by starving it."

Godo stared after the young man in shock as Cloud slowly turned away and followed Rufus and the Turks out of the courtyard.

The Emperor looked down at the table as the wind softly blew through his long, black hair and caused a couple of cherry blossoms to flitter across the table top. Tears slowly plopped down onto the wood grain as Godo huddled over himself and cried.

From a lily patch in the farthest corner of the courtyard, a small figure rose to her feet and watched with blazing violet eyes as Godo continued to sob.

_"For that, Godo, all of our hate, all of our sadness, and all of our pain washes away. For the lack of care in our daughter, for the lack of care in my will, your wrath is complete. Good bye, love."_


	26. de Coda

"I don't like this outfit, it makes me look fat."

"Yuffie, you're pregnant, you're gonna look fat!"

"Vox! You don't say it like that! She's not going to be fat, she's just going to have a baby in her tummy."

Yuffie Valentine scrunched up her face at the beautiful lavender maternity dress that Rina had picked out for her at the shop on the corner as Vox laughed and poked fun at her from the couch. She sighed and looked down at her flat tummy that was going to start rounding out in the next few months.

"Don't listen to Vox, Yuffie." Rina assured softly. "I hear that having a baby is the most blessed thing a woman can do in her life."

Yuffie tried not to remember that it was also supposed to be a cherished moment for a mother  _and_  a father but she only barely managed to succeed as a few tears slid down her cheeks.

Vox sobered a little and leaned over the arm of the couch toward the trembling ninja as his face turned down.

"I'm sorry, Yuffie. . .I. . .I was only joking." he said apologetically. "I didn't really mean the fat thing."

Yuffie laughed a little and shook her head as Rina slowly put her hand on her shoulder.

"No, no, Vox. . .it isn't that. It's. . .well, you know. . ."

Vox's eyelids drooped as he slowly rested his head on his arms on the couch.

"Yeah, we know." he breathed in a downtrodden voice.

Rina shook her head a little and looked at her two friends.

"Come on you guys. . .I know it is hard, and things are sad, but we mustn't let our hope die out. Vincent wasn't just any  _normal_  human. Chaos loved him too, you know. I have a feeling that not finding Vincent's body was a very good thing. It simply means that Chaos is keeping his promises."

"Chaos is a demon, Rina." Yuffie said turning away from her and looking out the living room window at the people going about their business in the city of Kalm. "He doesn't even know what a promise is let alone keeping one."

Rina frowned a little.

"That's not true, Yuffie. Chaos is very well aware of what a promise is, and what it means to keep one. Vincent made a binding commitment to him. It was a promise that the gunslinger and the demon had so that both of them could survive. No man was stronger than Vincent at containing Chaos for what he was.

“And Vincent was the only man that Chaos  _trusted_. Please realize that if that is the only thing you accept, Yuffie. Chaos  _respected_  Vincent for what Vincent went through. Chaos was  _there_  for Vincent in his darkest days, and he took care of the gunslinger."

"NO."

Rina was startled and cringed back a little as the ninja turned with hatred written in her pale face. Vox slowly rose to his feet as he felt a tantrum coming on as Yuffie advanced with her finger pointing menacingly at Rina.

"I will  _never_  accept that that  _DEMON_  helped or  _respected_  Vincent. I will never understand, and I don't ever  _want_  to understand! It was only  _because_  of that horrible creature that Vincent had to suffer! It was only because of Chaos that Vincent  _continued_  to suffer and pine for him. No! No, I WON'T ACCEPT IT!"

Rina was quiet for a moment as she recomposed herself and kept her watchful eyes on the heaving ninja as Vox stepped in closer.

Finally, she looked up at Yuffie with a firm frown.

"First of all, Yuffie, Vincent was suffering long before Chaos came into his life. A very important person in his heart betrayed him, and because of that betrayal came the pain and suffering you now know of. . ."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Yuffie interrupted with a snarl, "Lucrecia. . .she was the one that infested Vincent with Chaos."

" _No_ , you  _don't_  know." Rina replied heatedly. "Lucrecia was a deeply embedded part of Vincent's heart. He loved her. He loved her with everything he had and when she backstabbed him like that, the guilt and horror that filled that woman's soul was twice that any human should ever feel."

"That's what you get for unleashing a horrible bastard like Sephiroth on the Planet."

Rina shook her head and glared.

"Those are harsh words for a similar action performed by yourself."

Yuffie was startled and looked at Rina as though she had been burned.

She shook her head and glared.

"That wasn't my fault! I didn't  _know_!"

"Rina. . ."

Vox stopped as Rina turned to him with her green eyes shimmering. He fell silent and looked at Yuffie with a pleading hand gesture instead.

"Yuffie, please, Vincent's death was no one's fault, and Lucrecia didn't know what would happen when Chaos was infused with Vincent either. She and Vincent's father had worked very hard on this theory of Chaos and Omega, and it was a last attempt effort to undo the damage Hojo's attacks had caused. She wanted to save him as badly as you did, she just didn't know enough about her subject, that's all."

"Humph," Yuffie said crossing her arms, "obviously."

"But she knew enough to know Vincent would be all right." Rina interrupted with a glare. "She knew that in time, Vincent would remember, he would hate, and then he would come to peace with himself. If anything, Yuffie, you helped her to do that. You saved her most treasured friend with no thought to yourself. You taught him how to love again because you loved him unconditionally."

Yuffie felt herself losing steam as the horrible memories from that last fight started to fill her mind. She started to cry and as the tears slid down her face, she violently brought her hands up to her head and dug her nails into her scalp.

"No. . .NO. . .NO I DIDN'T! I DIDN'T DO THIS TO HIM!"

Vox sprang forward and tried to pull Yuffie's hands free, but the ninja wildly swung out and tried to get away from the blue haired Turk.

Rina gasped and glared as Yuffie punched again and caught Vox in his healing shoulder. The Turk cried out painfully and fell to one knee as he brought his other hand to his shoulder. Rina fell down beside him and put her hands on Vox's back as she looked up at the ninja who was staring at them wildly, her eyes turning violet like they often did when she was upset or crying.

"Yuffie, you must calm down." Rina said calmly, letting her anger go for now.

Her eyes became an eerie green again as she looked at Yuffie sternly.

"For the sake of your baby and your health, you must calm down."

Yuffie felt the calming waves from Rina's power before she could defend herself against it and she painfully winced as her arms fell to her sides and she looked at her two protectors staring up at her from the living room floor. She painfully felt Vincent's fingers pulling away from hers and the pain started to creep back into her heart as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I'm so sorry!"

Rina sighed softly as Yuffie turned and ran to her bedroom and slammed the door shut. She shook her head as she looked down at Vox.

"Poor girl, I pity her."

"Pity! Even when she's injured she thinks like a bloody ninja!" Vox whined as he looked at Rina with a crease of pain in his forehead.

Rina smiled a little and caressed his face.

"You are a strong boy, Vox, you'll be all right."

Vox grinned at her and winked.

"Yeah, but I like it when you coddle me."

He laughed softly as Rina gently shoved his good shoulder and then looked at Yuffie's closed door.

"Do you think what we are doing is pointless, Vox?" she asked distantly. "Do you think it is hopeless to keep doing what Commander Tuesti and Commander Shinra ask us to do?"

Vox looked at the door with Rina and sighed a little.

"Some days I think so, but then, most days, I feel that if we aren't here for her, to keep reminding her of all of the good she and Vincent have done, then that is the point of true hopelessness. We have to keep trying."

"But, how do we make a young mother believe that her dead lover is so close, yet not here?" Rina replied painfully. "How do we get her to accept Chaos and his intentions when she loathes every fiber of his being?"

"Maybe it isn't up to us." Vox said suddenly.

Rina looked at him with a start.

"What do you mean?"

Vox shook his head and looked at Rina with surprise.

"Maybe we are only here to make sure she doesn't hurt herself and that she is well taken care of, you know? Perhaps her mental well being should be left up to someone who knew Vincent best before he was Vincent Valentine, the gunslinger and holder of the demon Chaos."

"But. . ."

Rina gasped as she felt the powers between life and death shift. She looked over at Yuffie's closed door and then looked down at the floor as a gentle hand put its fingers around her shoulder to keep her from moving.

_"Nicoli. . ."_

_Well done, sister. Let her take it from here._

"Andrina?"

Rina looked up as Vox spoke her entire name and looked at her with worry.

She smiled and shook her head.

"I think you are right, Vox." she said softly. "I think that part of Yuffie's recovery is out of our hands."

Vox smiled a little and nodded.

"Yeah."

Rina grinned and looked at him.

"Don't think I forgot you when I went to the store, either."

Vox smiled as Rina stood up. He turned around and followed her movements as she reached into her shopping bag and pulled out a bag of popping corn and an old, worn disc case with the picture of a cartoon on the faded cover.

"Oh, my God! You didn't!" Vox cried happily as he stood up and went to where Rina stood by the dining room table.

Rina laughed and nodded.

"Ms. Perchalis said she had lots of these from when her children were younger. Since her children were off on adventures on other parts of the Planet, she didn't figure she'd have any grandchildren soon, so she sold me several of the discs. I told her I had a big kid at home that was a die hard lover of Bugs Bunny."

Vox smiled broadly and took Rina in his arms.

"You are amazing, Rin."

Rina smiled warmly and shook her head.

"I owe you so much, Vox. This is just a small token of how much I care about you. . .it doesn't even scratch the glass."

"I dunno. I haven't seen these cartoons in years." Vox said with a small grin. "I'd say it was a pretty large gesture."

Rina smiled and shook her head again as she looked at Vox hopefully.

"I'll make the popcorn if you'd like to watch them with me? I have never seen these cartoons."

Vox looked at Rina mortified.

"Are you  _serious_? You've never seen Looney Tunes?"

Rina shook her head quickly.

"Then  _I'll_  make the popcorn. Put that disc in and start watching! I demand it." Vox said determinedly.

He grinned and quickly kissed Rina's lips as he grabbed the popcorn out of her hand.

Vox smiled and went to the stove as Rina slowly went to the television opposite of the small couch as she looked up at Yuffie's door. As she listened to Vox rummaging around in the kitchen, Rina painfully looked down at the floor as she felt the forces of the Lifestream pulling time and space around.

"I'm sorry we couldn't help you, Yuffie." she breathed. "But you have to understand. You have to realize what made Vincent. . .ultimately destroyed him. . .and that is why you are so important. You are the glue that held him together. There's no better teacher than the woman that started it all. Believe me, Yuffie. . .please. . .believe."

"I don't hear any cartoons in there, Rin!" Vox called from the kitchen.

Rina smiled and closed her eyes as she turned the DVD player on and nodded.

"Working on it, Vox!"

Without another word, Rina placed the disc in the player and watched the screen come alive with rabbits, ducks, and a hunter that had a hat two sizes too big for his body.

"Oh, I  _love_  this one!" laughed Vox as Rina backed up and sat down on the couch.

He grinned as he plopped down on the couch beside Rina and kissed the side of her face.

She knew how lucky  _she_  was, and it was only through pain she understood.

Only through pain can you feel the difference between love and infatuation.

Only through pain. . .


	27. Coda

The air became cool and dark as Yuffie cried into one of the pillows on the bed that she and Vincent had shared. The light was blocked from the room and it was basked in pale grey as the ninja ignored everything else around her except for her pain.

She had lost so much in such a short amount of time. It wasn't conceivable how much she had lost, but she was surviving nonetheless. She was still alive after all she had done and after so many people she had hurt. What was worse was that she was carrying a child inside of her to remind her of it every, single day.

This thought only made the ninja cry harder and clench her slender hands into fists as she trembled. She was so wrapped up in her self loathing that she hadn't even noticed the room shifting and being consumed by a faint, green light.

"I shouldn't be breathing." the ninja whispered. "I should just die. . .I don't deserve to live. . ."

_"But it isn't your life alone, anymore."_

The voice that responded to Yuffie's whisper of hatred was soft and kind and caused Yuffie to gasp. The ninja's head slowly came up from the pillow a little and looked around as tears slid down her pale cheeks. Her eyes were a violent red violet and her hair was matted to the sides of her face as she looked at the room that was steadily becoming incased in green. She started to tremble from something else as she shook her head.

"Who's there?" she breathed. "What's going on?"

Her eyes widened and she sat up as a bright portal of green formed where her door used to be and began consuming the entire room. Yuffie cried out and put her arms over her head as the green swept by her and moved on around the room. After a few seconds, Yuffie slowly opened her eyes and lowered her arms with a gasp.

She was sitting in a brightly lit room with a large round table in it. Sunlight was pouring through a window above the table and the stone shone brightly despite the fact it was cold and grey. As she looked around, Yuffie realized that she was sitting in the Shinra Building before the war with the Planet. She turned with a start and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in as a tall, young woman floated into the room in a long, white lab coat with her hair tied back in a beautiful twist. Her eyes were bright and she looked radiant as she smiled.

Yuffie was going to apologize for intruding, despite the fact she felt dim and ugly in comparison to the woman in front of her, but when she went to speak, the woman passed right through her, seemingly not noticing Yuffie was in the room at all. Yuffie was startled and turned as the woman walked over to the shaft of light that was coming through the high window above and waited with her back to the ninja. Yuffie had a look of confusion written upon her face as she watched. However, as the door slowly clicked open behind them, she and the woman turned simultaneously.

_"Vincent!"_

Yuffie gasped and put her hand to her throat as her voice sounded hollow. It was as if her voice had no power in this place. She silently looked up and watched as the tall, young man in the doorway looked around worriedly for a moment and then trained his eyes on the woman in the sunlight.

The ninja watched how his bright, red eyes lit up and his face eased into a happy smile as he walked through her just as the woman before him had done. She felt an aching in her heart as she slowly turned and watched Vincent Valentine approach the woman.

The dark blue Turk uniform he wore suited him as his long, black bangs fell into his shining eyes. He looked strangely handsome, even then, despite the fact the ninja loved the gunslinger's long hair.

 _"But that would make sense."_  Yuffie breathed painfully.  _"I wasn't even born at this point."_

"You found me." the woman replied brightly redirecting Yuffie's attention back to the scene at hand.

"It wasn't that hard, Lucrecia." Vincent said softly. "You can't get too far without me noticing. I am your bodyguard after all."

"Not by choice mind you." Lucrecia replied icily.

 _"She really was very beautiful."_ Yuffie mused looking down at herself.  _"Much better than what he ended up with. . ."_

The ninja noted that Lucrecia was avoiding something in Vincent's comment about him being her bodyguard, but Vincent seemingly ignored the comment and smiled.

"It doesn't matter. I'd be beside you anyway." Vincent said with a warm smile as he held out his hand. "For other reasons. . ."

Lucrecia looked up into Vincent's eyes with a smile of her own and took the gunslinger's hand as Vincent held her fingers tight in his palm.

". . .for better reasons." the Turk finished.

Yuffie blushed and looked down as Vincent leaned down and gently kissed Lucrecia's lips. She felt a sorrow greater than loss fill her heart as she slowly wrapped her arms around herself and looked off to the side.

What kind of dream was this? Why would she be dreaming about such a sad reminder that Vincent was never supposed to belong to her? It wasn't making her feel any better as she forlornly looked up.

"You know, we can't keep meeting like this, Vincent." Lucrecia said softly as she put her hands against the gunslinger's chest. "What would Professor Hojo think?"

Vincent frowned a little as his eyes narrowed.

"What business is it of his?" he replied.

Yuffie watched with a start as Lucrecia slowly backed away from Vincent and brought her hands to her chest. She noted that Lucrecia looked frightened as the scientist shook her head and her eyes narrowed.

"Vincent, I've told you. . ."

"Don't, Lucrecia. Please, don't." Vincent pleaded softly as he held out his hand. "I know it isn't what you want!"

Yuffie had never seen Vincent so soft and complacent as he begged Lucrecia to come back to his embrace. She almost felt sorry for the two of them as she continued to watch. She felt compelled to watch the story unfold as Lucrecia shook her head.

"Vincent, I'm going to marry Hojo. It's my choice! This is the chance I have been waiting for, and I have to take it!"

"But at what cost, Lucrecia!" Vincent cried softly as he reached out and grabbed Lucrecia's wrist. "At what cost to your happiness? He doesn't  _love_  you! You deserve to be loved and cared for and I know he will do no such thing. I cannot stand by idly and let you do this, not when it isn't what you want!"

"How do you know what I want, Vincent Valentine!" Lucrecia asked almost angrily as she yanked her hand away. "You hardly know me, and you are just a boy besides. There couldn't be anything more between us than friendship. I couldn't possibly love the son of my. . ."

Yuffie was riveted as Lucrecia stopped suddenly and paled. Her eyes tightened and filled with tears as she shook her head. Vincent stared at the doctor with pain in his eyes and shock on his face. After a few minutes, Vincent's features calmed as he looked down at the ground.

"You loved my father. . .I know that."

Lucrecia tried to cover her surprise with anger as she shook her head.

"What a preposterous notion! Dr. Valentine and I were partners in science, that is all. We fought and believed in the same dream. How dare you assume I had anything more to do with him than scientific admiration and esteem."

Vincent looked at her sadly as he shook his head.

"Lucrecia. . ."

Tears started sliding down the doctor's face as she painfully shook her head and backed away. Vincent started walking toward her. Yuffie slowly eased around the table to get closer as Lucrecia's backside hit the stone wall behind her. Lucrecia threw her head to the side to avoid Vincent's gaze as the Turk put a hand on either side of her body and kept her caged in front of him. Yuffie stopped a short distance away as Vincent spoke in the voice she had been accustomed to hearing.

". . .you loved my father. . .that's fine. I do not hate you for that. I do not care. But if you loved him, why can't you love me? You said so yourself, I make your life full, and I make you feel happy. . .just like my father did. It was not your fault he died. My father would never have let anything happen to you if he could help it. He loved you, too. He told me about you in his letters, and if he could see what you are doing to yourself now, he'd try to stop you just like I am now. I know it."

Lucrecia tried to pull away as she looked up at Vincent with a firm frown.

"You are only half the man Grimoire was, Vincent. You could never replace him, and he would not have tried to stop me. He believed in people learning for themselves what their hypotheses were all about. That is why I pursued Chaos alone. I was foolish to believe I could control it by myself, but he did not stop me, only suggested that I let it rest.

“I ignored him and look what happened. He  _died_ , Vincent. He died and it was my fault. With Hojo's help, I can rectify the mistakes, continue my research, and move on to something greater than anyone could have ever expected from me. I will avenge him on my own. I do not need you."

Vincent winced a little, but shook his head with a frown.

"You didn't answer my question." he said softly. "Why can't you love  _me_?"

Yuffie sensed heartbreak as her own heart started to beat faster. She looked at Lucrecia as the woman's eyes filled with a pain she had never known. She could feel it in the air as Lucrecia shook her head violently.

"BECAUSE I  _DON'T_  LOVE YOU! WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT!"

Lucrecia's voice echoed across the stone as she brought her hands to her head and breathed heavily. She looked up at the startled Vincent and painfully shook her head.

"I could never love you, Vincent.  _Never_. I'm. . .I'm so sorry! Just. . .just leave me alone, Vincent! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Vincent let Lucrecia plow through his arms as she put her hand over her forehead and quickly ran from the room, her heels echoing on the stone as she left.

Yuffie was still as she watched her gunslinger's face turn down in pain. He stood in the sunlight and watched her disappear. She could feel Vincent's pain and anger as she slowly reached out to touch him. She gasped as the scene melted into a whirlwind of dust and fog.

She brought her hands up over her eyes for a moment until the violent spinning stopped. As soon as she felt it was safe, Yuffie lowered her hands gingerly and shrank back from the sinister scene she had been whisked into.

It was the same room, but there was no longer sun pouring from above. Rain pelted the glass and there was a negative energy in the air as a tall, greying man in glasses stood in front of an enraged Vincent. Yuffie hissed as she recognized the first man instantly.

_"Hojo."_

"You have interfered with my plans for the last time, boy!" Hojo cackled hatefully. "I'm about to put an end to it once and for all."

"You have no right to mess with her life, let alone her body!" Vincent hissed. "I won't let you get away with it!"

"Oh you won't, hmm?" Hojo asked.

Yuffie cried out and drew her hands to her ears as Hojo revealed a six shooter pistol and fired two shots. She felt her heart stutter as she watched Vincent's eyes widen in shock before he fell to his knees on the ground.

_"Vincent!"_

"Vincent!"

Yuffie looked up as another voice echoed hers. She watched Lucrecia's shock as Vincent fell to his side, blood seeping through his crisp, white shirt. She shook her head and looked at Hojo as the scientist laughed and lowered the weapon in his hand.

What a horrible. . .horrible. . .

"What have you done!"

Yuffie turned her attention back to Lucrecia as the doctor fell to Vincent's side and put her hands against his face.

"Lucrecia. . ." whispered Vincent as he painfully closed his eyes. "Please. . .please get out of here."

Lucrecia looked down at the Turk in her arms as she shook her head. Blood started staining the floor as she trembled. Yuffie noticed Lucrecia flinch in pain and gasped as she saw the round belly in front of the doctor.

_"Oh. . .she was. . ."_

"Enough, woman! This doesn't concern  _you_!" Hojo replied icily. "He refused to leave the situation when we demanded it so I removed him  _for_  us."

"So you kill him!" Lucrecia cried. "You are exactly what he says you are. . .I should have listened!"

Yuffie cried out again and tried to stop Hojo as he angrily frowned and reached down toward Lucrecia. The ninja watched with horror as the scientist grabbed his wife by her hair and hauled her to her feet. She trembled as Lucrecia yelped with pain and tried to pry Hojo's hand from her hair and instantly regretted it as his other hand came up and struck her across the face.

"Now you listen to me, Lucrecia," Hojo whispered hatefully, "it doesn't matter what that fool may or may not have said. What matters is who you listen to now and that is  _me_. I own you. You are my property and the property of Shinra's JENOVA Project and I deserve some respect!

“What you have inside of you doesn't even belong to you, and it was for the greater good you even  _have_ a child. If I would have had it my way I would have cut the parts I needed right out of you and fertilized the eggs my own way, but since I had to play the ethics game with Shinra, here you are, and so will our son be born  _by_  you."

Lucrecia looked at Hojo with disgust and tears in her eyes.

"I will  _never_  respect you!"

Yuffie turned away with helplessness in her heart as Hojo struck Lucrecia repeatedly. She had never guessed that Lucrecia would have been abused. She had figured that with Sephiroth inside of her, the hope and pride of Shinra, no one would dare touch her.

 _"I guess that didn't include Hojo."_  Yuffie whispered spitefully.

She heard Hojo yell something else and strike Lucrecia again, causing her to fall onto the cold stone, but she wasn't watching them. Her attention was completely focused on Vincent.

_"Oh. . .oh, Leviathan alive. . .he. . .he. . .!"_

From the cold stone where Hojo believed him dead, Vincent's narrow, red eyes were tuned with hatred on Hojo. Yuffie gasped with horror as she watched Vincent's fingers twitch uncontrollably as the gunslinger lay helpless on the ground.

He had been awake the entire time.

He wasn't dead at all.

Yuffie turned with a start and watched as Lucrecia painfully huddled up against the wall, cringing away from Hojo as he towered above her. Her eye was bruised and the side of her face had a cut on it as Hojo reached down to grab her again.

"LUCRECIA!"

Yuffie screamed as Vincent's body lurched up from the ground and plowed into Hojo's back. Lucrecia cried out and covered her head as Hojo slammed into the wall above her and stumbled to the side.

She looked up wildly as a shadow fell across her body. She gasped as tears rolled down her face and Vincent stood gasping and bleeding in front of her. His dark, red eyes penetrated hers as she trembled.

"I'm. . .I'm so sorry!"

Vincent's eyes clenched in pain and he cried out as a sharp jolt shot down his spine, paralyzing his legs. As he crumbled to the ground again, Hojo stood with a taser in his hand and a trail of blood running from between his lips. He glared at Vincent with a small smirk as he put the weapon away. Yuffie and Lucrecia both cried out as Hojo kicked the gunslinger over onto his back and stood over him.

"Well, Vincent Valentine, I underestimated you! You have a stronger will and a stronger body than I would have ever anticipated from a Turk. I think that you would be the perfect candidate for my next experiments!"

"Hojo! Hojo, please, no!" Lucrecia cried as she got on all fours and tried to move forward.

Yuffie shook her head as Lucrecia bowed to Hojo with his lab coat in her fingers.

Hojo looked at the woman with disgust and batted her away as he frowned.

"Shut up, woman! This is his own fault!"

Lucrecia shook her head as several other men entered the room and took hold of Vincent's body. She tried to lunge forward and grasp Vincent away from them, but a few others reached out and grabbed her to hold her back.

"No. . .NO. . .VINCENT!"

Yuffie felt tears falling from her eyes as she watched the white coats haul Vincent up. His head fell backward like that of a rag doll as his narrowed eyes looked right through Yuffie to where Lucrecia was screaming and crying. Yuffie's heart ached with pain as she saw Vincent vainly mouthing Lucrecia's name.

Hojo's evil laughter filled Yuffie's ears as he followed Vincent's body out of the room and his men dropped Lucrecia to the ground. The ninja turned and faced the woman as the door slammed shut and they were left alone in the room.

She desperately wanted to make the pain go away as she fell to her knees beside Lucrecia and wrapped her arms around the doctor's body. Yuffie put her head on top of Lucrecia's as the doctor sobbed over her lap.

They both knew what it was like to lose the same gunslinger. . .only. . .only Lucrecia never got a second chance.

 _"Shh. . .it's. . .it's going to be okay!"_ Yuffie whispered as tears fell from her eyes.  _"He's going to be okay. . .I promise! He'll be okay!"_

"Vincent, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Yuffie gasped as Lucrecia vanished from her arms and the scenery started swirling violently again. The ninja did not cover her eyes this time as she stood in the whirlwind of images and blood.

There were screams and cries and an evil laughter that filled her soul as she turned around and around. She cried out as the scene shattered into Hojo's laboratory. The room was filled with humans in tubes, body parts, and machinery. On a steel table in the middle of the room where three or four others stood with Hojo, there was a body.

Yuffie trembled terribly as she continued to hear screaming. She gasped and tried not to vomit as she watched Hojo rip through the flesh of Vincent Valentine with a scalpel.

Vincent was strapped to the table where blood was running from open wounds and holes in his flesh. His left arm was a mess of stitches, metal, and wounds as his hand clenched violently. His skin was paler and his eyes blazed a fiery red now as Hojo turned away from the new wound in Vincent's chest.

"You are a worthless piece of sewer trash, Vincent Valentine." Hojo said as he turned back around with a small test tube in his hand.

The tube was glowing a sinister reddish brown and Yuffie recognized the essence at once.

"However, even sewer trash needs company, doesn't it? What better way to dispose of these reject projects than into your worthless body. Scarred and mangled beyond recognition so that no living creature will  _ever_  want to look at you let alone  _love_ you. This is the price you pay for crossing me and what belongs to me, Vincent Valentine. Perhaps you will  _remember_  that in the NEXT LIFE!"

Yuffie cried out and shook her head as Vincent screamed. The substance in the tube was poured into his open wound and was pulsed through his blood as Vincent's body started convulsing and thrashing against the straps holding it down. His body spurted more blood as Hojo continued his carving. Vincent's face was a mess of pain as he cried.

 _"No more."_ Yuffie breathed.  _"NO MORE!"_  she screamed falling to the ground and covering her head.

She gasped as the screaming and the smell of blood faded away. She slowly looked up and found herself in another laboratory with Lucrecia. She looked around and gasped again and rose to her feet as she saw Vincent suspended in a solution in the center of the room.

_"Vincent."_

She turned as Lucrecia painfully moaned and pressed her hands against the lump in her belly. The ninja felt the pain of JENOVA coming from Lucrecia as the doctor fell to the floor and writhed.

Yuffie knew that feeling very well.

She knew that Lucrecia must be seeing what Sephiroth would eventually do to the Planet. She knew that much of the story. She watched as Lucrecia painfully opened her eyes and searched the floor.

"So much pain. . .so much devastation. . .and it's all my fault." she breathed.

She painfully pushed herself to her feet again and put her hand against her forehead.

"But not before I give the future hope." she said with a glare at the computers beneath her other hand. "Not before I right as many wrongs as I can. . ."

Yuffie gasped as she noticed the deep gashes that were healing in Lucrecia's arms.

_"She. . .she'd tried to kill herself before he was even born!"_

Lucrecia turned and looked so closely at the spot where Yuffie stood it made the ninja feel like the woman could see her. The ninja did not relax until Lucrecia had turned away and returned to her work.

"I will make it so my son will never succeed. I have already contacted the proper people to secure the vessel for Holy. . .and I have made sure that if anything should go wrong with this rescue attempt the man I have hurt will be able to survive.

“That is all that matters right now. I can only hope that the forces of the future will be strong enough, and pure enough, to stop Hojo before he hurts anyone else. I pray with all of my might."

Yuffie was quiet as Lucrecia worked. She had a feeling she was getting closer to the end of the dream as she watched Lucrecia slow down and look at the computers.

Lucrecia slowly turned around and looked up at Vincent as she winced.

"And for you, Vincent, I offer the only thing I know will counteract all of the demons inside of you. . .it is no consolation, and it will be my burden on your shoulders. . .but . . .I do not want you to die! I do not want you to be without true love.

“I will do all I can to insure that you will always be taken care of, and that you will have everything you deserved and wanted from me. . .but my heart was never mine to give away. I am a fool to have believed otherwise. But for all of that, you can blame me, okay? You can hate me, and curse me, and show me no mercy.

“I deserve that. . .I deserve worse for the pain I have inflicted upon you. . .but, please, Vincent, do not hate forever. Please find the love you still deserve. Please be happy. Find your eternal light. . .and for everything it is worth. . .never let it go.

"I'm so sorry, Vincent. I'm so sorry."

Yuffie felt the scene freeze all of a sudden and she gasped with a start as a new, cool feeling brushed over her skin. She turned with a start as a voice spoke clearly from behind her.

_"That would be the only thing I could ever say to him after this."_

Yuffie turned as slow, soft heels clicked on the floor. Lucrecia Crescent walked up to Yuffie's side and stood next to her wearing a beautiful white gown. Her hair floated around her as she came to a stop and looked at her past self with a forlorn smile. She slowly turned to look at Yuffie with a warmer smile as her eyes lit up.

_"Hello, Yuffie."_

Yuffie was startled as she looked at the beautiful woman beside her.

_"You know my name!"_

Lucrecia laughed a little and nodded.

 _"Yes, I do. Vincent told me of you and Shelke when he came and said good-bye."_  she replied softly.  _"I knew your mother, Yuffie. She was a strong, powerful woman, and I know she is proud of you."_

Yuffie tried to keep from scoffing as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the floor.

_"How could she be proud of a failure? I nearly destroyed the Planet with that power she gave me. I couldn't handle it at all."_

_"That's not true, Yuffie."_ Lucrecia said looking up at Vincent suspended in time above them.  _"You were able to stop JENOVA with your own light. That is not easy to do."_

_"Only because Vincent. . ."_

Lucrecia looked at the ninja as Yuffie stopped and her voice caught in her throat. The doctor sighed with a sympathetic smile as tears slid down Yuffie's face.

 _". . .Vincent came for me. . .like he promised."_  Yuffie finished bravely through her tears.

Lucrecia nodded.

_"Vincent was never one to break his promises. He did what he had to, Yuffie, because he loved you. You brought him inner peace, and that is something that should be considered special._

_“Treasure that feeling, Yuffie. Never give it up. You brought another heart pure joy. I had hoped he would find it sooner, but the fate Hojo and I inflicted upon him was not kind, and so I cannot hold his lack of faith against him. You helped him believe in himself again, Yuffie. You made him human."_

Yuffie looked at Lucrecia painfully and shook her head.

_"Why are you here? Why are you showing me all of this!"_

Lucrecia sighed and walked forward. Yuffie watched her move to her past's side and stand there with a small smile before closing her eyes and shaking her head.

 _"To show you that you and I are not really that different."_  she responded looking at the ninja.

Yuffie suddenly felt afraid as she held herself tighter and shook her head again.

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Well, look at our lives, Yuffie."_  Lucrecia began kindly.  _"You and I have shared the same pains and joys. We both cared for Vincent Valentine very much. . .in caring for him, however, we ended up hurting him. We both succumbed to the pain that JENOVA inflicted upon us, but found a way to set ourselves free. We both came to the same brink of death only to be pulled back. We. . ."_

_"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!"_

Lucrecia fell silent as Yuffie screamed over top of her. She watched the ninja gasp for breath and continue to cry. She pitied the young woman as the ninja's fingers raked through her hair and her tiny body paled considerably. Lucrecia nodded faintly and bowed her head.

_". . .we are **very**  similar, Yuffie. . .and you must see that to understand what has to come next. . ."_

_"No. . .no I don't want to accept **you**  or what you are showing me." _Yuffie replied.

Yet, even as she tried to speak denials and pain, Yuffie could feel the truth seeping into her veins. She couldn't deny what she was seeing. Looking at Lucrecia's past was like looking into her present. It was a similar story with a similar outcome, except she couldn't save Vincent. She had nothing to offer that could bring her lover back. Lucrecia at least gave him the second chance. . .and in that. . .he. . .

_". . .he found me. . ."_

Lucrecia nodded with a small smile as Yuffie spoke with her face full of pain and shock.

_"With Chaos inside of him, he found **you**. You see, Yuffie, it wasn't  **my**  will I was saving Vincent for. . .it was ultimately  **yours**."_

The room suddenly became vibrant as Yuffie fell to her knees with sobs coming from her chest. Bright, green violet wings shot out from her back as she cried. Her head rose to the ceiling as her eyes opened and they radiated with violet brilliance. Her hands clutched at her heart mercilessly as her body trembled.

All of it was connected.

It wouldn't have mattered how it ended, the Planet had dictated the outcome from the beginning. Everything was working in centrivical motion and it was working against her. It wouldn't matter how much she would have liked to have saved Vincent, she wouldn't have been able to. It wasn't in the cards for her to save the one thing she loved most in this world.

She wanted to deny what Lucrecia was saying, but she knew she no longer could. No matter how much she wanted to  _hate_  Lucrecia for the hand she had in Vincent's demise, she really couldn't. Lucrecia had done what her heart asked, and Yuffie could not deny her that. Vincent would not listen when Lucrecia tried to tell him to leave, and she had loved his father, Grimoire Valentine, not him.

What was worse was Lucrecia did not know that Sephiroth would grow up to be crazy when she had conceived him. She didn't realize how devastating JENOVA would become. . .

No one had known.

How could she keep blaming a woman who had suffered a fate worse than her own. Vincent was not able to hold her or say good bye. She could not die, she could not give in. . .and she had to rest in a cave alone until someone could set her free. . .but. . .how. . .

_"Vincent set me free, too, Yuffie."_

Yuffie brought her head forward and stopped crying all of a sudden as her violet eyes calmed down. She watched as Lucrecia walked toward her and knelt down in front of her. The doctor's kind, warm eyes looked at hers with a small, understanding smile as she gently held Yuffie's cheek in her alabaster palm. Yuffie relished the cool feeling against her warm skin as she sighed.

_"When Vincent left you, he came to me. . .like before, I had what he needed to complete himself. Chaos was keeping him alive, and though I wish there had been a way to return the demon to the Planet, Vincent really did need him to continue to survive._

_“That, and the Protomateria, were the only things keeping his blood flowing. . .but it was **his**  blood and  **his**  heart that made it all work. In a way, I think Chaos respected the fact a human could completely control him. When Vincent returned to me, Nicoli had beaten him to my cavern._

_"Believe me when I say I do not know how he did it, but somehow Nicoli was able to smash my mako crystal and my body was plunged onto the spikes below my tomb. I do not know if it was the influence of Vincent's return to the cavern and the fact Chaos had re-awakened or if it was the demon fused to Nicoli that caused my ultimate demise, but I perished nonetheless._

_“What I do know, Yuffie, is that Vincent no longer lamented my loss. I was finally able to make my own peace and part from this world and all of its nightmares. Unfortunately, I could never predict my own death, since, as you can see, I tried so many times to kill myself without success. Since I did not think I would ever die, I did not think that the blood in my veins would ever be used to infect another living soul. . ."_

Yuffie slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lucrecia with shock as tears slid down her cheeks.

Lucrecia nodded slowly.

_"It was **my**  blood Nicoli used to introduce JENOVA cells into your body, Yuffie."_

She calmly put both of her hands against Yuffie's shoulders as the ninja began to tremble and shake. She held the ninja still and gently forced her to look into her dark eyes.

 _"Yuffie, Yuffie, listen to me."_  she commanded softly.  _" **Listen**_ **.** _"_

Yuffie continued to tremble as her eyes quivered even though they were held firmly by Lucrecia's.

Lucrecia calmly took a breath and shook her head.

_"But he only infected you because you were protected."_

Yuffie looked at the spirit in front of her with insanity as she shook her head in the grasp of the good doctor.

_"That. . .what. . . **protected**!"_

_"Yes, Yuffie."_ Lucrecia said firmly.  _"When Vincent took your innocence, when he gave himself to you and gave you his blood, he gave you a bit of himself **and**  Chaos. Chaos still lingered in his genetic makeup, and what spared you from death had spared Vincent many years ago. _

_“ **YOU ARE WHAT MAKES HIM**. _

_“That is why Nicoli infected you. You were claimed by another demon. With Chaos and Vincent marking you, your power could never be used by Nicoli because Chaos would come to your aid. Knowing that Chaos was a far more powerful demon than himself, Nicoli did what he knew would hurt Vincent the most. . .he killed me, Vincent's first love._

_“Then he infected you, his true love, with my blood causing a violent reaction with the unique anomalies already existing in your body. He knew when he had taken you to the Holy Ground and awoken you, Vincent would come to save you. Nicoli had **planned** for you to kill Vincent. . . and so did Vincent and Chaos."_

Yuffie was stunned into silence as Lucrecia sewed the holes shut in her disbelief. She calmed down considerably as the thoughts and memories leading up to her turning into JENOVA's puppet filled her mind freely. Lucrecia's story was making sense as the pieces she had been missing were provided.

She looked at Lucrecia with a wince as she shook her head again.

_"But. . .but. . . **why**!"_

Lucrecia smiled sympathetically and gently brushed the tears from Yuffie's eyes as she shook her head.

_"Over time, Vincent had grown accustomed to Chaos' presence. By giving him up, Vincent had given up his being. Upon realizing that, Vincent did what he had to, to survive and stay beside you. He found what he was looking for in your love, Yuffie, and he wanted to protect that like he never could with me._

_“He felt like he needed to save me, but I was going to make my own choices. His father was the same way. Grimoire tried to talk me out of many things, and I never took him seriously, either. It is Chaos that binds us all to this story, Yuffie._

_“Ultimately, if you love Vincent, you must accept that. You must accept that Chaos is what saved Vincent, freeing me from one of many sins. You must accept that Chaos is what brought Vincent **to**  you. You must accept that Chaos is what  **saved**  you from death. He freed Vincent from more bloodshed on his hands from someone who cared for him._

_“ But above all, Yuffie, you must accept that Chaos is a piece of you and Vincent that is shared forever. **He**  is eternal, and because he  **chooses**  to reside in Vincent Valentine. . .he makes Vincent eternal as well."_

Yuffie listened to Lucrecia and processed all she had said for a moment before gasping softly and looking at the doctor with startled, knowing eyes.

Lucrecia smiled and nodded.

_"That's it, Yuffie. That's the dragonfly ninja he died to protect and save. She who would never give in without an honest fight. She who's light would never be taken even in the greatest adversity. She who pestered him into submission. She. . . **she**. . .who loved him most."_

Yuffie laughed softly for a second before closing her eyes and crying again. She laughed harder and launched herself forward.

Lucrecia gave a small "oomph" with a laugh of her own as she wrapped her arms around the ninja and held her tightly.

 _"I'm so sorry, Lucrecia!"_ Yuffie cried shaking her head.  _"I'm so sorry I hated. . .I hated you. . . without ever truly knowing why! I'm so sorry I was so blind!"_

Lucrecia smiled a little and leaned the ninja back as she shook her head.

_"Yuffie, you see most out of them all. That's how you spotted Vincent's good heart and stuck with him. Do not doubt the strength in your own, pure heart, Yuffie, because that is what binds you to Vincent and all of those you cherish most. It is your pure heart Vincent, Chaos. . . and all of your ancestors. . .sought to save."_

Yuffie looked at Lucrecia with surprise.

_"My ancestors?"_

Lucrecia nodded.

_"Your mother and your family came to Vincent's aid. That charm you gave him was the Amulet of the Onna no Midorimahou. It is an ancient charm passed from first female to first female in your family's line. It is the gateway for the powers your mother passed to you at her death. It is the traveling coffin and magic gates for your entire ancestry._

_“When a Kisaragi user dies, her spirit is whisked through the gates of the amulet and her power is contained there to be used by the next user. You have possessed it from birth because it denotes who the next heir is. Only when your mother passed did you acquire all of the power that amulet contained._

_“Unfortunately, due to Nicoli's father's influence, you did not know of your true strength until it was far too late and thus the situation that occurred much later. However, Nicoli did not think you would part with the charm you loved so much. You didn't know why, but that amulet always made you feel better and gave you strength. In giving it to Vincent, not only were you parting with a piece of your own soul, you were entrusting it to Vincent to return to you."_

Yuffie gasped.

_"That's why I felt ill at Rufus' place. . .I felt sick and I couldn't fight Nicoli off!"_

Lucrecia nodded again.

_"When a new user acquires the amulet and the power both, she offers a piece of her soul into the amulet as a dowry or payment to the ancestors that she will move on through the gates. Without the amulet, then, and the closeness to that piece of her soul that she has given up, she can become weak and vulnerable. Nicoli did not realize you had given it away, and nullified your powers until he had stolen you from Shinra."_

_"Nullified my powers? What do you mean? I don't understand. . .I. . .I took the charm back from Vincent when. . .when he. . ."_

Yuffie stopped and looked away for a moment before returning her eyes to Lucrecia's.

_"How do you know all this?"_

_"Because your mother and Nicoli sent me."_

Yuffie was stunned as her eyes widened.

Her mother  _and Nicoli_?

 _"Before you get upset again, please, Yuffie, let me explain."_  Lucrecia said quickly.  _"When you gave the charm to Vincent, he was so determined to save you that when he fused with Chaos a second time, the amulet came alive within him. Instead of remaining a separate piece, independent of him or Chaos, the amulet **fused**  to both Vincent and Chaos causing a change in the demon and the human that hosted him. _

_“Chaos recognized the paradox immediately, but Vincent was so weak from the fusion he passed out shortly after the amulet fused next to the Protomateria, filling the item **I**  had given him to control Chaos with  **your**  power. Some time between Vincent waking up in Kalm and Nicoli making off with you, Chaos retreated to the amulet buried inside of Vincent's flesh and sought out the last, known owner of it."_

_"My mother."_

Lucrecia looked at Yuffie's pale, shocked face with a grave nod.

_"Yes. Chaos sought out Mizuki and spoke with her about the current problem at hand. He showed her the amulet buried within his chest and informed Mizuki he could dispose of Nicoli, but because of **her family's influence** he could not choose between killing the being that had made off with you and saving you, yourself. Because of Vincent's will, his heart, and the power of your family, Chaos was forced to care and make a choice. _

_“Chaos was bitter at first, but only at first, Yuffie. You have to understand that. He grew **into**  Vincent. And after the fusion with your amulet, his will  **was**  Vincent's will. They were one and the same. He aided Vincent in making that final choice. . .but it wasn't easy for him. . . and your mother and ancestors helped him. . .by returning him to you at the last, possible moment."_

Yuffie was quiet for a very long time.

She looked down at the ground and felt the breeze from her wings blow by her face as she tried to remember everything up until the point she could no longer remember. She felt the amulet tugging at her heart as she winced and saw her hand prying it from Vincent's chest.

She remembered hearing Chaos roar and cry out before shattering JENOVA's hold over her body. She knew that it had been the demon that had brought Vincent back to her. She knew that, she just didn't want to believe it.

She also knew it was her true strength at heart that had caused everything to stop before it had reached the point of no return. She remembered her soul and spirit cleaning itself of JENOVA's hatred. She had felt her grandmother's hands, her mother's hug, and that of all of her family when she had launched herself from JENOVA's clutches.

She knew that. . .but then. . .why was her mother working with the demon that had caused all of it?

_"Rina freed her brother before he perished, Yuffie. Andrina was hurt because she battled the demon inside of Nicoli and freed him by destroying him. . .thus, allowing Vincent ample time to deal with you and JENOVA._

_“With help from Edward and Yuko, Chaos got a boost from a very special weapon called the Triple Infinity. It is a high powered, specifically crafted handgun made from mako crystal, silver, and Lifestream. It takes skill and immense strength to craft and between Yuko and her sisters, they managed it._

_“The three Pieces were left with three people: Vincent had the Fire mako, Reeve Tuesti held the Water mako, and Rufus Shinra's Turks guarded the Earth mako. The three main elements of life that formed the Triple Infinity could only be held together by one person, and that was Vincent Valentine as Chaos._

_“But it would come at a cost._

_“The bullets themselves were coated in Lifestream and crafted from silver and onyx. They shattered upon impact and forced Lifestream and **light**  into the enemy they were used upon._ _In using the Triple Infinity, the user ultimately gave up their own soul and light to power it._

_"Chaos became Infinite Chaos, and Vincent forfeited his entire life and soul for the one he wanted to save in all of its purity. . ._

**_"You._ ** _"_

Yuffie's eyes filled with tears as she slowly blinked and her face pulled back into a horrible grimace. She silently sobbed as pain clawed at her heart and the last images of Vincent leaving flashed against her mind. She shook her head as Lucrecia held it tighter and forced Yuffie to look up at her.

_"Nicoli wanted the story told right. . .and your mother agreed, so they called me forth to recount what I could still remember before my memories were given up to the Lifestream and I was reborn. Understand, Yuffie, that I showed you what I did only because you could not believe in something that was laid out for you to believe. Vincent still needs you to stay strong, Yuffie. Vincent and Chaos need you to keep your light bright or they will never find their way back."_

Yuffie stopped crying suddenly and looked at Lucrecia with a start.

_"What?"_

Lucrecia firmly held Yuffie's face in her hands and looked her straight in the eyes with complete seriousness.

_"You have to believe in it, Yuffie. You cannot say that you do and not mean it, because in doing so you forsake Vincent and your own heart, so think carefully. Do you believe in what cannot be seen? Do you trust what your heart knows but your mind cannot fathom? Can you be strong enough to accept what makes you and can save your one, true love?"_

Yuffie looked at Lucrecia with shock before suddenly feeling a warm light radiating from her stomach. She slowly freed herself from Lucrecia's fingers by looking down and gasped as a faint light pulsed from her abdomen.

She could feel Vincent nearby as the light filled her entire being and made her wings sparkle with an inner radiance all of their own. She smiled faintly and pressed her hands against her belly as she relished the feel. She suddenly felt at peace with everything. With Vincent, with Chaos. . . with her family. . .

_I know. . .I know now._

_"Can I have a little time?"_

Lucrecia was surprised by this request as Yuffie slowly lifted her head again with a soft, bright smile. The doctor recognized the smile as a passage from adolescence to adulthood and instantly let her face melt into a smile.

_"Yes, Yuffie. I think you can."_

Yuffie nodded as she looked at Lucrecia with a knowing smile.

_"I do believe, Lucrecia. I do. . .but. . .this has gone on much longer than it should have. If my ancestors saw all of this coming, then they should have had the strength to stop it. I may not have much left, but I have a piece of my true love inside of me, and if Leviathan sees it fit and I have a girl, then I will not let her be tainted with having to give up a piece of her own soul for a power strong enough to kill an entire Planet. No child should have that kind of destiny. And, you know what? I am kind of tired of the repetition myself."_

Lucrecia smiled warmly and nodded.

_"Well done, Yuffie. I think you will do just fine, now."_

Yuffie watched with a start as Lucrecia slowly rose to her feet and turned away.

_"There was one more thing Nicoli wanted me to show you, but your mother does not know about. Would you care to view it. . .?"_

Yuffie tried not to glare at the mention of Nicoli, but for Lucrecia's sake, she slowly nodded.

Lucrecia smiled at Yuffie before walking forward away from the ninja.

_"Then this is where I will leave you, Yuffie. Thank you so much for helping him find his heart. Thank you for loving him honestly and with pure intentions. I can never repay you for that kindness, but I do hope you get everything your heart desires in the end."_

_"Wait! Lucrecia, where are you going?"_ Yuffie asked scrambling to her feet.

Lucrecia smiled and looked back behind her as the scene started to shift and she started to fade into a bright, white light.

_"I have someone waiting for me on the other side. . .I promised to return to him one day, and now I will be able. . .right from the beginning. Take care, Yuffie. . .and. . ._

_" **Thank You.** "_

Yuffie brought her arms up as a blast of white light and sparkles whooshed by her in a frenzy of air and green haze. As it settled, Yuffie lowered her arms and gasped as she instantly recognized the clearing in the Wutai forest. She looked around in shock as she noted the bright stars, the full moon, and the peaceful sounds of nature.

_"What. . .?"_

She stopped moving forward as she caught sight of her body on the rock that overlooked the pond.

_"That's. . .that's **me**!"_

Yuffie turned her attention abruptly to the left as she heard sobbing and crying. Her eyes widened slowly as she saw Chaos fall down to his knees beside her slain gunslinger. She began walking toward the demon as she watched him lift Vincent in his arms.

Chaos wasn't scary at all. On his own, he looked almost exactly like Vincent except his hair was longer and his eyes were a glowing yellow instead of red. His body armor was red and coated in black and his hands were long and his nails sharp. But looking at the demon with the pointed ears and hunched back, Yuffie could tell that he was truly remorseful and filled with sorrow. She gasped as she heard the demon whisper into Vincent's cold body.

_Vincent, you bastard. . .you weren't supposed to use all of the rounds! Why didn't you save anything for yourself, dammit! Why did you have to sacrifice it all. . .?_

Yuffie gasped as Chaos held Vincent tighter.

_Why did you leave me here with your heart and pain, but not **your body**?_

**_How will I take care of HER NOW!_ **

Yuffie stumbled backward as Chaos raised his head to the sky and cried out with rage and pain. Her eyes darted around as she saw members of her lineage slowly coming from the trees surrounding the clearing. It was then she noticed her mother making her way across the pond toward Chaos and Vincent. She shook her head as her mother spoke.

**_"Chaos. . .it will be all right. . .just as he said."_ **

Chaos turned with tears streaming down his demon face. His eyes were alight with pain as he looked at Mizuki with a cross between hatred and agony.

_"What hope is there for a body without a soul. . .?"_

Mizuki smiled.

**_"His body isn't what we need, Chaos, you know that. It's his soul we need. . .and it is his soul we have. If it will make you feel better, you can come with us. Perhaps an integration from birth is just what Vincent will need in the future."_ **

Yuffie looked at her mother with a countenance between infuriation and realization. She painfully turned away from the scene as Chaos slowly gazed at Vincent's face.

She  _did_  know now.

Her mother saw fit to play God as did the rest of her family. They used Vincent to get hold of her and calm her down, nothing more, nothing less. As long as the power was secure, nothing else mattered. Of course it didn't. They weren't concerned about her heart or her well being. . .or the fact that Vincent was the love of her life. All that mattered was that goddamn amulet and a power that took her true love away from her.

Mizuki may not have known how important Vincent was. . .but. . .

_"Chaos did."_

Yuffie frowned with hatred at her mother as Chaos looked up and asked Mizuki a question.

 _"You swear you won't harm it?"_  he asked softly.

 ** _"You have my word, Chaos."_** Mizuki said with a smile.  ** _"He will not be harmed."_**

 _"BUT I WAS!"_ Yuffie roared with anger.

She glared and let her wings beat angrily at her back before clenching her fists and shaking her head.

Just a little more time. All she needed was reassurance her baby would survive and when that time came, she would show her family  _exactly_  what she thought of all this cowardice and betrayal.

Yuffie calmed a bit as she watched Chaos rise with Vincent's body in his arms. She heard him say something and stare at her figure on the rock, but the scene was starting to become scratchy and full of static as the images started to cut out. Yuffie recognized the interference and hissed.

**_"I think that is quite enough of that. . ."_ **

A new, strangely close voice filled Yuffie's ears as she stood defiantly in the fading images surrounding her. Instead of cowering in fear of the dissipating images, Yuffie raised her clenched fist to the sky and glared.

_"I AM NOT AFRAID OF LEAVING YOU LIKE YOU LEFT ME, MIZUKI! YOU PROMISED ME THAT IF I RETURNED I WOULD BE WITH HIM FOREVER! I CHOSE HIM LIKE YOU TOLD ME TO, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME! THIS IS HOW IT ENDS! I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF DEAD, MOTHER! IT ENDS **NOW**. MARK MY WORDS, I WILL THROW YOU AWAY JUST AS I HAVE GODO!"_

Yuffie's voice screeched as the blackness surrounded her. As she continued to rant, her eyes changed from violet to red and her wings slowly started to transform into a feminine version of Chaos'. She roared a final time as a bright flash struck her and sent her crashing down to Earth again.

_"I HATE YOU!"_

With a final, violent phrase, Yuffie gasped and bolted upright. She was covered in sweat and her eyes were darting back and forth as she shook in her bed. The room was calm and dim now save for the faint, flashing light from the television coming from underneath the door.

Yuffie looked around the room trying to digest everything she had just heard, seen, and said as her eyes fell upon the lilac bunch her mother had passed to her months ago in the realm between life and death.

Her eyes narrowed as she violently pushed herself off of the bed and went to the table near the foot of the bed.

Her palm made a soft crunching noise as she ripped the dried flowers from the table top and smashed them in her fingers. Yuffie watched the dried petals fall to the floor miserably as she felt all of the hatred melt from her heart.

It wasn't just her mother's fault. . .it was  _all_  of her family's fault.

"I will not let his death be in vain." Yuffie whispered with conviction. "He died for  _my love_  and  _my light_  and I don't need a stupid charm to dictate that."

Yuffie used her other hand to pull the warm, glowing amulet from her jeans pocket and her cold, violet eyes flashed red as she watched the souls swirl around in it. Somewhere in there was her soul as well as Vincent's. Her mother had what he needed to be reborn and it didn't look like she was going to let the experiments end for her gunslinger.

Well, if that was the case, she had a rude awakening for her ancestors. There wouldn't be  _any_ more trips from the afterlife to this one because she was going to put a stop to that in a few, short months.

"Keep my soul, then." Yuffie breathed when she felt the protest from the item in her hand. "It's only a piece, and I will fight your death. I won't succumb to tradition. In fact, I think I'd like to start a brand new one. . .and it  _doesn't_ involve this. . .this. . . _monstrosity_."

Yuffie was silent as she frowned at the amulet before slowly returning it to its place.

"But for now, have what you want from me. I do not need you anymore. You are spirits. Move on. My light isn't for you, it isn't for my father, and it certainly isn't for traitors. I will live for something better. . .something truly free." she whispered as her hand fell to her belly.

Yuffie gave one, last disgusted look at the flower in her hand before throwing the blossoms to the floor. She stared for a moment longer before turning away and going to the bedroom door. As she left the room and closed the door behind her, the crushed petals gave a faint aura and a soft laugh filtered across the floor.

**_"Oh, dear, daughter. . .how you make me smile. . .come to me soon, Yuffie. . .and as I promised. . .all will be well. . ._ **

**_"All will be well."_ **


	28. Accelerando

The days past by without further conflict.

Yuffie grew stronger in her convictions day by day, and her health improved over the next few weeks. Vox and Rina enjoyed helping Yuffie prepare a nursery for the baby Yuffie would have in the late winter, and while they prepared for a baby, the other Turks prepared for a wedding.

Reeve Tuesti had proposed to Shelke Rui a month after the Chaos Crisis as it was properly termed. When she had accepted the offer, there was much hustle and bustle around the WRO for preparations and arrangements, to which Rufus and company were proud to cater to.

In Wutai, Emperor Godo had taken a long hiatus from ruling the country to go on a spiritual journey into the mountains. He had been checking in to see if his daughter had returned, but so far, nothing had turned the tides.

In Edge, news came around about another pregnancy in the close knit AVALANCHE group and Marlene and Denzel were in anxious wait for a new baby brother or sister.

*****

"To the fallen friends we have lost, we commend their spirits to the Lifestream in the hopes that their sacrifices were not in vain. For what they have left behind is something we must treasure. What they have given us is the hope to a brighter, and more peaceful future. It is my hope that this memorial will commemorate all that Vincent Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent hoped to accomplish. With great effort from AVALANCHE members and the aid of Neo-Shinra, let their memories continue forth."

Yuffie smiled a little as the wind rustled her shoulder length hair. She looked up at the beautiful, stone gateway that overlooked the wide expanse of the Kalm valley. The sun glinted off of the mother of pearl and crystal in-lays as the small crowd of people huddled closer together on the hillside. Two, bronze plaques were embedded in the stone with Vincent and Lucrecia's names on them as people began laying flowers and tokens down upon the marble offering stones. Candles flickered in the breeze as Yuffie slowly pulled the Cerberus fleur d'lis from the folds of her skirt and placed it on the marble in a bed of flowers. Her hair fell over her right shoulder as her violet eyes searched the mosaic outlining the same shape. She smiled sadly as she gently put a hand over the swollen lump in her stomach.

"It's a girl. I know it." she whispered softly. "And I know you will love her. . ."

Yuffie slowly closed her eyes and stood up as the others began milling around and slowly dispersing. Reeve looked at her from the head of the monument with a small, sympathetic smile. He reached his hand out to her and Yuffie grinned as she shoved him in the chest playfully.

"I'm pregnant, Reeve, not invalid." she said merrily enough.

Reeve laughed and nodded.

"Indeed, Ms. Valentine. I apologize. Just trying to help."

"Appreciated, but I have all the help I can handle at this point." Yuffie replied gesturing to Vox and Rina who were huddled together frantically whispering to one another.

Reeve noted the two Turks and nodded.

"I see. Must be a handful."

Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"If I have to deal with anymore coddling I may puke from the sugary sweetness."

Reeve laughed again as Shelke slowly came up to Reeve's side and smiled warmly at Yuffie.

"Thank you for coming to the dedication, Yuffie. I know it was short notice." Shelke said softly as Reeve put an arm around her and began talking to a WRO soldier next to him.

Yuffie smiled as she crossed her arms against the breeze.

"It's what Vincent would have wanted. If I hadn't come, he may think I still hated him for leaving me."

She looked at Shelke with eyes so vivid that Shelke gasped a little.

"Besides, I have my own good-byes planned a little later."

Shelke was going to ask what Yuffie meant, but Tifa suddenly bolted from the crowd with her skin as pale as alabaster causing several people to gasp with worry.

Yuffie turned with concern until she noted the familiar puking face Tifa often had when she was feeling ill. She grinned sympathetically as Cloud went barreling after his lover with fear stricken across his face.

"I remember  _those_  days." she commented wistfully.

"So do we."

Yuffie turned as Edward walked up to her with Yuko beside him. She smiled a little as she shook her head.

"By all truthful accounts, I think Vox and Rina have the vividest memories of my porcelain praying." she said matter of factly.

"How are you, Yuffie?" Yuko asked smiling as she hugged the princess.

Yuffie smiled again and shook her head as she returned the hug.

"Same as two weeks ago when I saw your husband. Still a little worn out and the baby has started to move, but other than that, nothing spectacular."

"Well, that's good. Glad to hear you are doing fine." Edward said noting an unfamiliar mark in Yuffie's behavior. "Anything unusual been happening lately?"

Yuffie knew what Edward was getting at and she tried not to smile smugly as she shook her head.

"Well, unless you call Rina trying to force Vox into a bridal shop unusual, then nothing really. I will say there's never a dull moment with those two around, but they've kinda grown on me. I'll be sad when they grow all up and get married and move out."

Yuko politely elbowed her husband in the ribs and shook her head with a laugh.

"Oh, Yuffie, you know Edward is just looking out for you and the baby. He doesn't want you to unnecessarily endanger your health."

"I understand, and thank you for the concern, but I will be fine. I know what I am doing. Will you excuse me?" Yuffie replied lightly as she moved past the couple.

Edward frowned and rubbed his sore ribs indignantly as he watched Yuffie walk over to where Vox and Rina had suddenly stopped talking.

"Why did you have to do that, Yuko?"

"Because, you are meddling in affairs to which you have no business." Yuko replied tartly. "This is Yuffie's course of action. You have been poking and prodding her through this whole ordeal. It's been nearly five months since all of this mess came to an end and you are still trying to get her to confess her plans. What that young woman is going through is of no consequence to us, but to her own life. You must let her do it as she sees fit."

"But, five months? I would have thought that with her brash sense of timing she would have barreled after them by now." Edward grumbled.

"Our young ninja has learned a lot in a very short amount of time, Edward." Yuko reminded softly. "She's lost everything dear to her, and she has suffered through much of it alone. This is her way of building up to her destiny. Did you ever consider that she was waiting until her baby could safely survive if she were to suddenly fall ill?"

Edward looked at his wife with shock as Yuko smiled up at him knowingly.

"You. . .you don't mean. . ."

"Listen to yourself. You sound like a high school girl in the locker room after a juicy rumor just passed by her ears." Yuko teased with a smirk. "Of course Yuffie is planning on shoving her heritage back into her ancestors' faces. She doesn't want this pain haunting her child and she certainly doesn't want the memory of Vincent's untimely death to be marred by such a tragedy.

“Yuffie is a strong, independent woman that lost everything at the hands of others. Her whole life has never been her own, until  _now._ The moment she discovered the truth of everything. . . _that_  was the moment Yuffie Kisaragi Valentine knew who she was and who she  _wanted_  to be. From then on, she got to make her _own_ choices. That, my dear Edward, is worth everything."

Edward was silent as he watched Yuffie laugh as Rina blushed scarlet in front of her. He frowned and looked down as the trio slowly descended down the hill and out of sight.

"I just don't want her to throw her life away, that's all. It would be horrible for a child to never know her father or her mother." he said softly.

"That is why Yuffie is waiting until September to make her move." Yuko replied lightly.

Edward looked at his wife with a scrutinizing eye.

"Has she told you or something?" he asked accusingly.

"Of course not, Edward." Yuko replied as she began to walk down the hill. "It's just a hunch of the female persuasion."

Edward rolled his eyes as he muttered something under his breath and followed his wife.

From the top of the hill, as people started to descend and the sun slowly began to set, the Cerberus relief in the bed of flowers began to shimmer. A small laugh fluttered across the valley as the sun dipped below the horizon and the air suddenly grew colder.

**_"And as I become One with the Universe. . .so, too, do my desires, wants, and being."_ **

_"I'm waiting, Yuffie. . ._

_"I'M WAITING."_


	29. Allargando

"Well, it looks like another successful sonogram, Yuffie." Edward said as he lifted the instrument from Yuffie's swollen belly and smiled at her. "The baby is doing fine."

"I could have told you that." Yuffie said with a small sigh. "The poor kid keeps me up all night. She's figured out her legs kick and that Mommy stays awake longer when she employs the act."

Edward laughed softly as he wiped the jelly off of Yuffie's stomach and lowered her shirt.

"An energetic child, just like her mother." he noted.

"Hmmph. . ." Yuffie said as she slowly sat up and crossed her arms.

Edward shook his head and sat down as he wrote a few things in a chart.

"Have you been eating or drinking anything different than the last time I saw you?" he asked as he watched Yuffie stand up.

"No, not really." Yuffie said as she tried to think. "Well, I have been drinking a tea that Rina bought me. She said it would calm my stomach at night."

"What kind of tea?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, it has ginger and honey in it or something." Yuffie said with a small sigh. "It does help and it tastes good, too, which is a plus for me."

Edward laughed again and shook his head.

"That's probably your problem. Try to cut half the sugar and try some warm milk instead."

Yuffie made a face at this suggestion and shook her head.

"I hate milk."

"Then cut out the sugar." Edward said making a few more notes and shutting the chart.

"Ugh! But then all you taste is the ginger and it becomes gross! What is it with you doctors and taking the fun out of everything?" Yuffie said as she reached for her bag on the chair in the corner of the room.

Edward made a small noise in his throat.

"We are the pleasure killers, sure, but we only have your best interests at heart, love. If you don't want that child screwier than a squirrel at night, then you have to cut back. You have to remember that the kid is eating what you eat."

Yuffie sighed and shook her head with a smile.

"Yeah, okay. I know. I will, then."

"Instead of ginger, try chamomile and lavender tea. I hear it's easy on the stomach and it tastes great." Edward said writing something down on a piece of paper and handing it to Yuffie. "Here, this is one of the better brands in Kalm. Ask Rina to make it the same way she does the ginger tea, just without the added sugar or honey. I promise, you will relax and go to sleep, and so will that child inside of you."

Yuffie smiled and took the paper from Edward.

"Thanks, Ed." she said with a nod.

Edward nodded as Yuffie pocketed the paper and put her bag over her shoulder. He shifted uneasily as several thoughts mulled through his head. Before he had the chance to voice any of them in the form of a question, however, Yuffie laughed.

"Edward, I know it has been bugging you for months, now, but please, don't worry anymore, okay?" Yuffie asked as she looked at her doctor with calm, lavender eyes.

Edward looked up with a start and shook his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Yuffie." he said softly.

Yuffie grinned.

"You know, Edward, you are a bad liar." she noted. "You know what else I've noticed about you in these few, short months we've shared together?"

Edward shook his head again.

"No. What?" he asked.

"You shake your head a lot."

Yuffie grinned as Edward smiled and looked down.

"Yeah, I guess I do." he said with a sigh. "It's just, I made a lot of promises to that goddamn gunslinger and he is making it bloody difficult to keep them all even from the grave."

"Try not to try so hard, Ed." Yuffie said with a sigh. "Vince left a lengthy list with all of us, and what I am about to do is part of mine. I wish I could offer more help, but the one thing I learned about Vincent Valentine in the five or six years I knew him was that you couldn't take him for face value.

“Vince may have been the most honest of us, but he would never do anything to intentionally harm us. He had all of our best interests at heart, and I cannot ask for more than that from him. I loved him too damn much. . .I  _still_  love him. . .and that's why I have to do this."

"That's it, Yuffie." Edward said as the young woman walked toward the door. "You have to do  _what_?"

Yuffie slowly stopped and turned around with a serene smile on her face as the doctor looked at her with pleading eyes. Through her violet spheres, Yuffie could see through his perils, his fears, and his greatest love. Through her own power, Yuffie knew why Edward needed to know the answer to this question.

Through something she had been fervently working on with Rina, Yuffie could harness the flow of her own energy and use a power that was uniquely hers. With this knowledge, Yuffie was comforted further because she knew she and her baby would be all right after her return to the place of her sanctum.

"I have to set my ancestors free."

Without another word, the ninja princess slowly opened the door and walked out of the room.

Edward looked out at the hallway as the lights burned above him. He felt a feeling of shock run through him, but he was not compelled to run after Yuffie and stop her. For some reason unbeknownst to him, he knew he had to let her go and do what she had to.

A tear slowly rolled down Edward's cheek as the doctor took a deep, shaky breath and looked at the still picture that was on his computer screen. He smiled a little as he tried to comprehend the amazing thing that was about to occur. He did not know what it meant for his young patient, but he did know that whatever the outcome, Yuffie was going to be happier for it.

"Damn you, Vincent." he said softly. "I worked so hard to try and change you. . .and in the end  _I_  was changed. . .by your equal half."

Edward slowly lowered his head as he closed his eyes.

"I worked so hard to keep her safe, when all I was doing was preventing her from achieving everything we had worked for ourselves. By Leviathan’s wrath, Vincent, I wish I could hate you . . .but now, I have to get used to everything all over again. You bastard."

Despite the tears falling to the cold tile beneath his feet, Edward started laughing. His laugh was soft at first, but as it continued, it grew louder and stronger. It grew so loud, that the nurses from the nurses station ran into the room with worry.

As the good doctor tried to explain to his staff that he was all right, Yuko smiled from her paperwork down the hall and nodded.

"And thus, the final chapter comes together to unfold." she said softly. "Consider my debt to you, Mizuki, repaid."


	30. Cadence

The air was quiet and the moon shimmered above as several shooting stars zipped across the dark sky. From the shaft of moonlight spreading over the floor, Yuffie Valentine slowly slipped into the lavender dress that Rina, Tifa, and herself had been working so hard to complete by this very night.

Yuffie smiled a little as the folds fell into place over her round belly and breasts. She eased her arms into the long, silky sleeves as the beadwork glittered in the moonlight. As she zipped herself up, Yuffie turned to the full length mirror that Rufus had given her as a baby shower gift. Her long, black hair was almost foreign to her as the moon hit her lavender eyes. The dress looked even more beautiful at night than it did during the day.

The dress was a modified version of the gown Tifa had made for her for the wedding. It was a long, beautiful lavender and the folds of the skirt were entwined with taffeta and pearls. The skirt itself was a little thicker and made a beautiful swishing sound when she walked. The sash came around Yuffie's body just under her belly where the baby rested.

Beads and pearls dotted the ribbon that tied behind the ninja and dangled down her back. The ribbon's tails were a bright violet just like the underskirt, the hem, and the trim around the bodice and sleeves. The sleeves were long and came to points at the tops of Yuffie's hands.

The sleeves did not bell out, but remained flat along Yuffie's arms and joined the trim that ran across the tops of Yuffie's breasts. The chest piece was decorated with beautiful violet beads and pearls and the intricate design that Rina had worked so hard on was surrounding a beautiful brooch that Vox had worked on especially for the ninja.

The brooch was the shining masterpiece that made Yuffie's ensemble complete. It was a beautiful silver piece with wings that spread out upward from the small, shining stone set in the middle. Surrounding the purple gem were flecks of materia that would glow of their own accord. The circle inlay depicted small symbols and signs from Wutai's past as well as a re-telling of Yuffie's story through pictures.

Vox had worked for months looking up the symbols and etching them into the metal. From the inlay was another rim of silver etched with a beautifully laced Celtic pattern. And, to complete the set, from a thin, silver chain at the bottom of the brooch hung a smaller, intricately designed version of the Cerberus relief with Yuffie's symbol as the Wutai Princess coming out from behind it.

Yuffie smiled a little at her reflection as she touched the brooch. She knew that Vox's favorite part was one that wasn't seen very easily. Inside the illusive purple "gem" was actually the body of an intricately caught dragonfly. The stone was only resin, and it was Yuffie's favorite piece of jewelry in the whole world.

"You look beautiful."

Yuffie turned around slowly and smiled again as Rina and Vox stood in the doorway to her bedroom.

"Thank you. . .so much. . .for helping me do this." she said softly.

Rina smiled as she walked into the room.

"I understand how important it is to put family differences behind you." she said nodding. "And I know this is the final chapter that has yet to be written for the long, drawn out tragedy."

Yuffie laughed a little and glared at her reflection as the small, sphere dangling from her right hand shimmered.

"And then. . .then can we have peace?" she whispered.

"That and a whole lot more, Yuffie." Vox said as he put his arm around Rina. "We've all fought our own battles alongside this big one we've all been fighting together. We've all seemed to make peace, but the one person who couldn't and deserved it still needs his chance."

Yuffie looked at Vox and Rina and smiled sweetly as she looked at the two of them.

"You're right." she said softly. "Thank you for helping me build up the strength and the courage to do this."

Rina slowly left Vox's embrace and walked toward Yuffie. She slowly took the ninja's hands in hers and brought the sphere between them. She looked up at Yuffie as their hands became entwined in an aura of green and lavender.

"Yuffie, what you hold between us is just a piece of glass. All you need, all you have ever needed, is inside of  _you_. The strength you possess is all your own and nothing Vox and I did cultured it like you did yourself. Congratulate and thank yourself, Yuffie. You deserve it. Not only that, but this task you are about to do may not be as difficult as you think. . .I promise."

Yuffie smiled at Rina and shook her head with a laugh as she hugged the girl in front of her tightly.

Rina laughed with her and returned the gesture with a serene smile.

"Thank you."

Rina slowly pulled away and looked at the ninja with a nod.

"You're welcome."

Vox smiled at the two of them as they turned and faced him. He grinned as he held out his hands.

"Are you ready to escort me, my lovely ladies?"

Yuffie laughed and shook her head.

"I don't believe I have ever escorted someone  _any_ where."

"Yes you have." Vox said with a kind smile. "You escorted Mr. Valentine. . .down an aisle for a dear friend. . .and you made him wear his hair down."

Yuffie smiled at Vox with a look somewhere between motherly and grateful.

"Indeed, you are correct, Mr. Morinaga. Then, in that case, I would be honored. . .granted, Rina doesn't mind?"

Rina smiled with a shake of her head.

"Trust me, I couldn't handle him alone."

Vox was about to get indignant when the bells from the clock tower began to chime the hour.

"Eleven, ladies, we'd better hurry if we want prime seats to the beginning of a new life." he said with a wink.

"Thank you again, for taking me back." Yuffie said as the three of them walked through the apartment and Vox opened the door.

"We wouldn't have allowed it any other way, Yuffie, you know that." Rina said as Vox locked the door behind them. "We don't exactly know what is going to happen."

"But you do remember the arrangement, correct?" Yuffie asked cautiously.

Vox grinned.

"Yes, Yuf. If you do not re-emerge after the big light show within 10 minutes, we go in there after you."

"Right." Yuffie said as they walked down the stairs and out onto the quiet streets.

Yuffie looked up at the open window that belonged to her and her roommates and smiled.

_"Soon, it will all be over, and I will put it behind me once and for all."_

"What if the Wutai Army tries to stop us?" Vox asked as the opened the car door for Rina and Yuffie.

"I doubt we will have any problems." Yuffie commented lightly. "The borders have been re-opened and if my people believe in anything it is superstition. They won't bother us where we are headed. The only thing that may happen is that my old man may come back from his disappearing act to try and beseech me to come home. Nothing I cannot handle on my own."

Rina looked at Yuffie with a small smile as Vox got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

The princess had done a lot of growing up in seven months. She had something she could be proud of now, and helping her fight for that honor was worth everything. She knew she had to do it. . .Vincent would have wanted her to.

As Vox began driving out of the Kalm city limits, Yuffie fell silent and looked out the window.

Her life was changing in less than sixty minutes. Was she ready for it? Was her family?

Yuffie smiled as Rina started humming a small tune and Vox started in behind her.

_"It doesn't matter. I will be free and I am with good friends. Vincent couldn't have trusted me with better allies. . .not even Cloud or Tifa."_

As the ninja's thoughts drifted to more violent notions, she looked out the window and up at the moon that was directly overhead. She glared a little as she clenched the orb in her palm tighter.

 _"It ends tonight, mother."_  she thought closing her eyes.  _"You took your life, you took Vincent's, and then you took Chaos. . .a valid leftover that could have been mine. . ._

_"It ends. . .it all ends with me. . ."_


	31. Grazioso

"Are you sure you do not want us to accompany you, Princess?"

Yuffie sighed and looked at the few soldiers that had followed the trio to their current location outside the Wutai forest.

"Please, I have two, loyal friends with me now. They will take care of me from here. If you must be of any use to me. . ."

Rina looked at Yuffie with a start as the ninja sighed and pulled out the satchel that Rufus had delivered to her after a meeting with her father.

"Take this back to the palace. If my father has returned, then please give it to him. If he is still trying to find himself, the old drunkard, then send this to him. He will know I am safe, and I promise, everything will be well." Yuffie said as she handed the satchel to the leading officer.

The soldier bowed deeply and took the parcel. He said something to the others in fast Wutainese and they all dispersed quickly.

"Wow, that didn't take much, did it?" Vox asked as he frowned a little.

"I told you I would handle it, didn't I?" asked Yuffie with a small smile.

"That was very noble of you, Yuffie." Rina said with a nod. "The gift to your father."

"It wasn't poisoned, was it?" Vox asked suddenly.

"Vox!" Rina scolded with a frown.

Yuffie laughed and shook her head.

"No. . .despite all of my bitter emotions toward my father, I know it isn't  _completely_  his fault. . . and I know that Vincent would have wanted me to make up with him eventually. This is my token of peace. I am not ready to rule this place, and I probably never will be. . .but I won't hate my father forever because of something he was never totally entitled to."

Rina smiled again and nodded.

"Noble." she repeated simply.

"Yeah, noble." Yuffie sighed as she looked into the forest. "Hopefully noble enough to forgive me for what I am about to do to centuries of my family's lineage."

"This has to be done, Yuffie." Rina said softly. "You cannot suffer, and you refuse to let your child suffer. Avenge what was taken from you."

Yuffie smiled at Rina and connected with the young woman for a brief moment. She nodded.

"Do you want us to at least help you into the forest?" Vox asked looking at the dark woods with distrust.

Yuffie shook her head.

"No. Tifa told me that my father had a path cut clear to the Holy Ground right after the incident, so I shouldn't have any trouble. Plus, I have made my way through these woods without a light to guide me before."

"Yes, but you weren't seven months pregnant and in a full fledged gown then, either." Rina noted with a smile.

Yuffie stuck out her tongue and grinned.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. I will be fine." she said.

"Then go with Leviathan, Yuffie." Vox said with a small smile. "If you need us, just call. We'll be here for you."

"Thank you, Vox. . .Rina. . .you are the most loyal friends I have ever had. . .thank you." Yuffie said as she turned away and began walking into the trees.

Just before the ninja faded from sight, she turned around and winked.

"Catch you on the flip side."

With that, the young woman vanished into the night.

Vox smiled and stuck his hands into the pockets of his Turk uniform as Rina waved slowly in front of him.

"How bout that. . .? Never thought I'd be a respected member of society after all these years. . ."

"We're more than that to Yuffie, Vox." Rina said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around herself. "We're her  _family_."

The wind blew Rina's hair as Vox stepped up beside her and wrapped an arm around her. They both watched the entrance to the trees where Yuffie had disappeared with quiet faces as they prepared to stand guard.

"That we are, Rin." Vox said with a nod. "That we are."


	32. Repente

The forest was quiet except for the bubbling, rolling sounds of water that trickled back to the ninja's ears the closer she got to the grotto. Moonlight cut through the canopy and made the stones in Yuffie's dress shimmer as she walked. The sounds of the fabric calmed her as she came closer to her destiny.

As the light from the clearing became visible, Yuffie's heart started to beat faster and her breath quickened. Thoughts of the final battle with Nicoli and JENOVA started to fill her mind as she stumbled a little on the path. Vincent's fading body struck the forefront of her mind and caused the ninja to cry out and lean against a nearby tree as pain and suffering filled her body. Her heart was a train wreck as she started to gasp and cry.

_"I have to calm down! I can't have an attack! No one is here to recessitate me this time! Think of the baby, Yuffie! Think of your daughter. . .of **Vince's**  daughter."_

Yuffie's breath started to slow as tears slid down her pale face. The orb in her palm began to glow brighter as Yuffie pushed herself upright and started walking again. She stumbled a few more times as the battle replayed in her mind and Chaos's howl filled her ears. All of the thoughts were pressing down on her, making her feel small and insignificant. She didn't deserve freedom when she had stolen Vincent's. She didn't deserve to be alive. . .

But suddenly, from the shattered darkness of her own mind, a soft, white light began clouding her thoughts.

**_"Remember, Yuffie. . .remember why you have come to this place. Remember to believe unwillingly in what you cannot see, feel, hear, or touch. BELIEVE IN HIM BLINDLY AND WHAT IS YOURS WILL COME BACK TO YOU!"_ **

Yuffie's heart was calm and her mind was clear as she looked up and faced the waterfall in the clearing of her brethren. Lucrecia's voice was soft and gentle in her thoughts as the moon lit Yuffie's irises up in a blazing glory of lavender. As she began to concentrate on the duty at hand and the child inside of her, her eyes began to turn the slightest shades of red.

From the low cut back of her dress slowly started to emerge large, graceful wings of gossamer green, lavender black, and ruby red. The lacy, leathery wings of a much softer Chaos sprang out from behind the young princess as her reddening eyes looked at the receiving pond with hatred.

There were no sounds as the ninja walked forward on the sandy shores. As she neared the water, the ninja's thoughts were completely focused on the task at hand. As the moonlight poured down from the clearing above, Yuffie Kisaragi Valentine slowly lifted the orb in her right hand. She built up the power she had been saving inside of herself as she slowly opened her eyes and focused on the waterfall that was slowly starting to cease from flowing. As her violet red eyes gazed upon the green haze that was starting to form around the clearing and over the water, Yuffie glared.

Yuffie's toes stopped short of the watery edge as the wind suddenly shifted from the South to the East.

She took a deep breath and began.

"Listen up, all of you, because I will only state my purpose once, and once only!" the ninja growled in a voice that was not quite her own. "For years I have stumbled through life without a mother, without a calm, soothing guide to show me the ways in many things. For years I have grown up in a stupid, ridiculous haze that led to the untimely death of my mother, the damnation of my father, and the near downfall of the human world as we know it.

“Because of a _stupid_  pebble and an ungodly power that none of you had the nerve to dispose of yourselves, I suffered the worst fate possible. I lost my mother, my womanhood, and the man I loved. Perhaps worst of all, I lost the demon that may have very well loved him more than  _I_  did.

"Because of the neglect of my family, and because I believed my mother when she said it would be all right, I renounce this life. I renounce you, I renounce the Kisaragi name, and I damn this piece of glass to the pits of hell where it belongs. As Leviathan as my witness, and all of you as my ancestors, I shall separate with what you had no right to take from me, and I will live my life anew as the woman I  _choose_  to be.

"You DESTROYED my life. You destroyed it by doing nothing. You knew that I would lose, and you knew what would happen to the man I loved. For that, I cannot and will not forgive you. The very mention of my mother makes me sick. To think that she had a part in my ultimate demise is horrible, but that is the half of it.

“The whole of the matter is that I do not CARE about you. I do not LOVE you. What I love is inside of me, and no matter what you do to me now, YOU CANNOT HARM IT!

"DO YOU HEAR ME, ANCESTORS! YOU CANNOT HARM ME ANY LONGER!"

Yuffie's voice was again at a full tilt. Her voice had crescendoed into a violent rage of Wutainese and the green haze had slowly begun to pulse with the swirling souls of her ancestors. The waterfall had all but stopped as the young princess roared. The water was starting to shimmer as Yuffie drew back the hand with the orb in it.

"I rid myself of the pain and suffering of this family. Furthermore, I forbid any of it from tainting the body, mind, and spirit of my daughter. . .the daughter that will be born of  _his_  blood. The daughter that will  _not_  be scarred by the past. A daughter who will know what a great man her father was. . . _she_  will be the rebirth of his name.

“She will know what it means to love and let love. And I swear it now in this holy spot my ancestors forged, she will not lose ANY piece of her soul to the likes of YOU. I swear it now with every breath of my being. . .Rachel Valentine will never know this life. . .and she will certainly never know of YOU."

As the clearing started to fill with wailing cries and stirring echoes, Yuffie's eyes flashed as she grinned with razor sharp teeth.

"As for  _you_ , mother. . .forgive me, but there is no more room for  _you_  in my life, either. As I have been betrayed by Godo, so, too, have you betrayed my trust. My love is as stone for now. But as this new life comes into the world, I will shower it with the love you allowed to grow cold.

“For you were the one that promised me that all would be well if I went back to Vincent. You promised me I would be with him. . .forgive me if I found the arrangements less than acceptable. For that I will never forgive  _you_. Rest in peace, ancestors. . .if you must take what you have already stolen, fine, I do not need it, just as I do not need you. Good riddance to you, and to the filth I call a family.

_"GOOD BYE, MOTHER!"_

The wind howled through the canopy as Yuffie roared with anger and sent the orb flying across the pond. Everything fell silent for a brief second in time as the glass sphere shattered against the cold, wet stone. As the shattering sound ripped through the clearing, Yuffie cried out and threw her arms out to her sides as an invisible force screamed and restrained her. Green souls started to burn from green smoke emitted from the shattered glass as a bright, green beam shot out of the stone where the waterfall had once flowed.

Yuffie screamed with pain as the beam shot directly into her chest and started to procure a smaller, sleeping version of Yuffie. The version was green and peaceful, and as she was pulled free of Yuffie's body, the ninja's body fell slack and her head slumped.

The other souls in the clearing started to rise from the pond and emerge from the trees as they wailed Yuffie's name and cursed the foolishness of their youngest. As the beam quickly dragged the sleeping Yuffie into the stone the invisible force holding Yuffie upright suddenly vanished and the ninja fell to the ground. The beam quickly vanished along with many of the souls as the water started to return to normal despite the remains of the sphere smoking and glowing eerily.

The clearing suddenly quieted as the water began lapping at the shore. There was silence as the remaining souls watched fearfully at the fallen princess. Many of them echoed foolishness while others simply watched in stun. From the middle of the talk came a strong, confident voice that caused all of the others to fall silent.

**_"She had the courage you did not. Be SILENT. . .all of you."_ **

After a few more moments, the souls gasped and shook their heads with disbelief as a strong lavender and red aura surrounded Yuffie and enveloped her in a cocoon. Her wings slowly started to rise as a familiar embrace encouraged her to get up.

Yuffie's fingers slowly raked across the sand as the ninja began pushing herself up from the folds of her gown. The moonlight struck the ninja's red eyes with such luminosity that many of the remaining souls fell to their knees in deep respect.

They knew this presence. . .and they dared not speak against it any longer.

Yuffie looked at the souls of her ancestors with indifference as she slowly sat up and brought her hands to her stomach. Her body was weak and her mind was cloudy, but she knew she was safe. She knew she was going to be all right. As she kept her hands pressed to the sides of her belly she felt a strong kick that made her smile with relief. She closed her eyes as she nodded.

"Et tu, Rachel." she breathed.

As the clearing started to whisper her name again, she looked up with a firm glare. She had heard him. When the pain had gotten so severe, she had heard his voice. It cut up through everything surrounding her. It had cut through the voices of her ancestors screaming at her. It cut up through the stabbing pain of the Kisaragi power ripping through her very being. Through it all, she had heard him.

He was here.

Yuffie slowly rose to her unsteady feet with her arm outstretched for balance. Her legs felt awkward and her body was heavy as she glared and shook her head.

"Where is he, mother!" she called. "WHERE IS CHAOS!"

The souls in the clearing gasped or made rasping sounds in their throat as Yuffie stumbled and fell to her knees. They watched with mixtures of pity and hate as the princess slowly pulled herself up again and glared at the place where the orb was still glowing and starting to move.

"I know you are HERE, mother!" yelled Yuffie as she began to feel faint.

She knew what she was about to do was foolish, but it could be the only way to get her mother to let what belonged to her and her child free.

**_"Yuffie!"_ **

Yuffie painfully pulled herself up onto the rock that her mother had left her upon the night Vincent died as the souls surrounding her started to move in closer.

"STAY where you are!" the ninja commanded hatefully as she dizzily stood on her feet.

The souls stopped as the commanding voice they had learned to obey came at them again. The moonlight struck the Wutai Princess in such a way that she looked stunning. Every part of her body was illuminated as the orb the ninja had smashed just moments ago started to quake the stone behind the waterfall.

The ground began to tremble from the shock as Yuffie regained her balance on the rock and pointed her finger accusingly at the stone marking she recognized as her mother's symbol.

"WHERE IS THE DEMON MORE A MAN THAN ANY I HAVE MET OUTSIDE THE ONE I LOVED? MOTHER, THAT DEMON'S NAME IS CHAOS, AND THAT DEMON BELONGS IN THE CARE OF ME AND MY FAMILY. . .VINCENT VALENTINE'S FAMILY! WHERE IS THE DEMON THAT SAVED MY LIFE AND VINCENT'S SOUL! WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN HIM YOU! BRING BACK THE ONLY PIECE OF THE MAN I LOVE! GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!"

**_"Yuffie. . .you. . .you foolish human. . .I can't help but love you like him. I can't help but always be there with you. . .I can't help but bring him back to you. . ._ **

**_"Forgive me later for what I have done and will do._ **

**_"I LOVE YOU, YUFFIE."_ **

The souls in the clearing frantically cried out as Yuffie's breath caught in her throat and her eyes rolled back into her skull. The ninja's arm fell to her side as her body toppled off of the top of the rock.

_"Oh, Yuffie. . .why have I caused such anger in a beautiful daughter I loved so much. . ."_

The water rushed around the ninja and flooded her nose and mouth as her eyes vainly tried to open. The ninja's arms moved slowly as the folds of her gown came up around her. Her hair floated in front of her face as bubbles blocked her narrow vision.

The voices in her head echoed loudly as she tried to pull herself to the surface. A strong, pulsing light was erupting above her, she knew that because she could definitely see it, but she could not fight the sinking in her body.As her lungs became devoid of air, the ninja slowly stopped fighting.

As Yuffie's eyes closed, a sudden scream shot down from the surface toward her and the water surrounding her suddenly erupted in a fiery, angry whirlpool. The ninja was jostled upward as she recognized the familiar, red light forming in front of her.

Before the ninja could glare or do anything, a feeling in her blood she had not felt in many months suddenly flowed through her. Her eyes opened wide with a start and her mouth came open as her body was freed from its trance and she turned to the tunnel of water that was pulsing red.

She knew this feeling.

_"Air! Oh, God, please! Please, please, please, don't let me die! Don't let me die without seeing his face!”_

The ninja's body fell still from lack of oxygen while strong, slender arms slid underneath her and hauled her upward. In a loud, enormous clap of thunder, the whirlpool rose up above the surface and showered the entire clearing in the shimmering water from the pond.

For a few seconds, all was quiet as the raging rains subsided and the water lapped angrily at the stone wall and the sandy shore. The souls that remained slowly started to re-emerge from the trees as the green spheres slowly fell silent and a green portal opened behind one soul standing at the base of where the waterfall flowed.

Mizuki Kisaragi lifted her head and smiled a little as Vincent Valentine stood heaving with breath with her daughter in his arms.

_"Well done, Vincent Valentine. . .and just as I promised Chaos. . .more or less all here and returned. Just a little later than I would have hoped."_


	33. Tenerezza

Vincent's feet stood on the surface of the water as he slowly turned around and faced the spirit standing behind him. An unusual feeling flowed through him as his bright, red eyes searched Mizuki's lavender ones. The other souls started to congregate around the pool as the gunslinger's eyes narrowed.

"You tortured her."

His voice sounded odd to him, like he hadn't heard it in a long time. He looked at Mizuki as the spirit laughed softly.

_"I suppose I did, but if I hadn't, we wouldn't have reached this point, would we?"_

Vincent glared a little as he felt a strange, calming sensation from within the fabrics of his mind that he instantly recognized as Chaos.

**_"There is no longer you or me, Vincent. . .it is us. I need her to be safe. YOU need her to be safe. Understand that this was the only way to undo it all. Her anger is just, but I needed something to wake you up. . .something you cared about very much."_ **

"Undo?" Vincent asked. "What. . ."

**_"See 'what' yourself. . .see what Yuffie's bravery has accomplished."_ **

Vincent slowly looked down at the surface of the water and gasped as his reflection looked up at him. His startled, red eyes looked at himself through a curtain of ebony bangs that framed his face exactly as they had when he was a Turk. His hair was shorter, and his skin was a normal shade. He was no longer sickly pale and both of his hands were fully functional. He could tell from the open buttons in his white shirt that his scars had been wiped away and that he was as much alive as he was before Hojo's horrible experiments. Tears started forming in his eyes before he could stop himself as he stuttered for words and turned to Mizuki accusingly.

"You did this?"

Mizuki nodded.

_"A deal is a deal, Vincent. I asked you to trust us, and you did. You put your faith in a demon who had wronged you before and you prevailed. From this moment forward, there is no Chaos. YOU are Chaos, and he is you. What you treasure and love, he does, also."_

"But. . .how?" Vincent asked almost painfully, "Why?"

_"Because he loves you, Vincent Valentine. And he believed you deserved all that you had fought and died for."_

Mizuki watched with a small, sympathetic smile as Vincent turned away from her and bowed his head over Yuffie's. She looked up at the moon as she watched it shift before she turned to Vincent.

_"I have some business to attend to with your better half before I leave. . .but if you do not revive Yuffie soon, I am afraid it may be too late for her. . ."_

Vincent gasped softly as he felt his heart race firmly in his chest. He hurried across the water without bothering to ask how he was doing it and as soon as he was on solid ground, he gently laid Yuffie out on the sand and lifted her head up.

As his lips slowly came down upon hers, the gunslinger could not think of anything that tasted sweeter. He had missed every second of his ninja. He did not have any recollection after the incident with JENOVA, but what he did know was that he had been wrapped in the safety of Chaos and Mizuki's embrace when his memory stopped. He knew he had been destined for something greater than death.

The Lifestream had never given him an honest chance, and just when he had thought something in him was going dark, there was a shatter of green and a sudden reminder of why he had died in the first place.

"Come on, Yuffie. . .please. . ."

His first memory after JENOVA, was seeing a smaller, sleeping form of Yuffie appearing in the green haze in front of him. He remembered everything up until the point of no return and when he had finally realized that his body would work, he had reached for that Yuffie. . .and was rewarded with the woman he loved more than life itself.

Vincent pulled his lips away from Yuffie's as the ninja started to cough and sputter violently. As he slowly eased her upward, his eyes widened as he traveled the expanse of her body. The swollen lump beneath the folds of Yuffie's beautiful gown told a story all of its own as Vincent's eyes filled with tears.

He quickly, albeit carefully, lifted Yuffie's body in his arms as he reveled in Yuffie's longer hair and her beautiful face.

Yuffie coughed again and moaned as her eyes narrowly came open. Her irises were a calmer shade of red now as the violet streaks in them started to shimmer in the moonlight. Water droplets slid off of her face as she slowly tried to remember what was going on.

The ninja's mind was a haze of confusion and her body was heavy as she tried to think. The ninja winced as her head seared with pain and she quickly gave up on trying to remember. All she knew was that she had done what she had come to do. Her good byes were finished. She could go on living.

"Rachel!"

With a start, Yuffie bolted upright and firmly pressed her hands against her stomach. Like clockwork, her baby girl let her know that she was alive and well. Yuffie smiled with reassurance as she felt her daughter's mocking. It was as if her daughter were calling her silly for worrying about such trivial matters like drowning.

"Rachel? Is that what you have named her?"

The voice registered with Yuffie instantly as she froze where she sat. She started to tremble violently as she slowly turned her head to the side. Tears started to unconsciously flow from her eyes as she looked into the red gaze she had been dying to see. The same face, the same soft smile. . .oh. . .

"Vincent!" breathed Yuffie.

Vincent smiled silently as Yuffie's hand shook as she brought it up toward his face. As her trembling fingers slid across his face, his eyes closed in rapture. He didn't know he could miss a touch this much, but it was exactly as he remembered it. His hand came up to hold Yuffie's before he could stop himself and before either of them could stop one another, Yuffie cried out loud and threw herself into Vincent's chest.

Vincent clenched his eyes shut and held Yuffie tightly as the ninja clutched at his back and sobbed into his shirt. He could feel her breath heaving in her lungs and her heart racing in her chest as she continued to cry. His tears rolled down his face and into Yuffie's long, black hair as Vincent brought one of his hands up to the back of Yuffie's head and held her closer.

"It's. . .it's okay, Yuffie. . .I'm here. . .I don't know how, but I am sorry I was gone for so long. . . please, please don't cry!" he breathed painfully.

"Don't cry!" gasped Yuffie as she pulled away from her lover with red eyes. "I have had to deal with the thought of killing you and raising a child all by myself! Not only that, but I've had to put up with Edward every two weeks for the last seven months because I am a high risk pregnancy! How dare you tell me 'don't cry,' especially after I condemn my entire family and they. . .they. . . they are the REASON YOU'RE HERE!"

Vincent helplessly tried to hold back Yuffie's fists as she angrily balled them up and began hitting him in the chest.

"Yuffie. . ."

"Don't you ever leave me again, Vincent Valentine!" Yuffie cried out painfully. "Don't you ever leave me!"

The ninja's fists finally fell to her lap as she started sobbing again and let Vincent gather her up in his strong embrace. She buried her face into his chest as Vincent held her and put his cheek on top of her head.

"Shh, Yuffie. . .it will be all right. I won't leave." Vincent whispered softly as his crimson eyes narrowly stared out over top of Yuffie's black hair. "I won't ever leave again. How can I when I have a responsibility for you and the baby I helped create?"

Vincent looked down into Yuffie's eyes as the ninja raised her head and stared up at him with tears still streaming down her face. She smiled as Vincent gently smiled back at her and ran his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe away her tears.

"Are you still my beautiful dragonfly?"

His voice was barely above a whisper as he slowly let his forehead fall against Yuffie's. His eyes closed in sweet bliss as he felt Yuffie's breath against his neck and her fingers entwine with his as they fell to her lap. Her heartbeat was pulsing underneath his fingertips and as he tried to keep his breath calm, he felt the tears sliding down his cheeks again as Yuffie laughed and held his hands tighter.

"I never  _stopped_  being your dragonfly." she whispered.

Yuffie leaned back and looked up at Vincent as she shook her head.

"For a while, I couldn't find myself. I was. . .I was mortified by what I had done. . .and when I woke up and you weren't there. . .I cried myself stupid for days. It wasn't until Edward told me I was pregnant that I cared about anything at all, and even then. . .I was heartbroken. I couldn't stand myself. . .but one night, being my crazy self, Lucrecia found me."

Vincent looked at Yuffie with concern as the ninja smiled at him with a different gleam in her eye.

"Lucrecia?"

"Yes. I understood what I needed to do. . .and I understood why it hurt you so much. . .why it hurt  _her_  so much." Yuffie said with a small nod. "Everything made sense. I didn't want it to, but it did. I got to see you and Chaos right here. . .after your battle with me. . ."

". . .with JENOVA, Yuffie." Vincent corrected with a firm frown. "You were never a target of my rage. . . _ever_."

Yuffie smiled a little and nodded again.

"With JENOVA, then." she conceded. "I know that Chaos is the real reason you are with me. . . and that it was the both of you that saved me that night. . .and. . ."

Vincent watched with a small smile as Yuffie laughed a little and looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

". . .and that is why I love you both so much! I can't live in this world without you. . . some,  _part_  of you! For the past seven months I have been trying to store up enough courage to come back here. . .to say good-bye to you. . .and my family. . .and to take back the one part of you I was sure I could find. . ."

"Chaos." Vincent said softly.

Yuffie nodded as her tears slid down her cheeks.

"He deserved to be with family.  _Your_  family. He deserved to be honored and cherished for what he had accomplished on his own, and with you."

Vincent looked at Yuffie with wonder as he felt Chaos move within him in a way he had never known.

**_"Thank her for me. . .I truly believe that may be the most wonderful thing anyone has ever said about me."_ **

Vincent smiled and ran his hand through Yuffie's long hair.

"There was never any difference between us to you, was there, Yuf?"

Yuffie smiled and shook her head.

"No."

"Then. . .thank you."

_"Indeed. There is much to be thankful for."_

Yuffie turned with a slow start as she heard her mother's voice from across the pond. She didn't know whether to glare or look like a child who has done a bad thing so she kept her face deadpan as Mizuki slowly walked across the water toward them.

Mizuki smiled a little and unfolded her hands from her kimono sleeves.

 _"My, Yuffie, you have your father's fiery temper."_ she said with a nod.  _"But I suppose that would be natural since he raised you."_

"Actually, Popo raised me." Yuffie said almost bitterly.

She blushed a little and looked away as she felt resentment for her words.

 _"Then it is even more understandable."_  Mizuki said.

Her smile was unwavering as she looked at Vincent.

_"Vincent, you will find that much of your body has been restored to the way it was before Chaos. However, there is one difference you will note."_

Vincent felt a bright, warming coming from his chest and looked down with a start as a red lavender light sparkled from the right side of his chest where the Protomateria rested. He looked up at Mizuki with surprise as Mizuki nodded.

 _"That would be it."_ she said.  _"Unfortunately, after the Protomateria fused with our floating world, it absorbed some of our magic. It's quite extraordinary, really, but if we had removed it from your possession, it may have gotten out of control. The power contained within is quite the mystery even to my oldest relatives._

_“However, with Chaos making up your new body, it may be of use to you in the future. The power within it is at your disposal, and a whole new arsenal will be yours. . .just in case something like this ever happens again."_

Vincent looked up at Mizuki with serious, red eyes.

"Chaos. . .?"

 _"That is what I needed to discuss with him."_ Mizuki said with a gentle nod.  _"Chaos revoked much of his demonhood when he came with us. He shed his demon horns and agreed to be the 'model,' so to speak, for your new body that we constructed for you. While it is you in every sense of the word, your body is that of Chaos's._

_“Since you both shared the same needs and desires, you were essentially the same person. This arrangement allows that. I just need to remind Chaos that his thoughts are still very much his own, though not as forceful as they once were with your body alone. As such, the body you both possess is one of pure light and energy. You may both live as humans, but your body is still exempt from many human abilities."_

Vincent felt the dread in his heart before he could stop it as he shook his head.

"Such as?"

 _"The ability to regenerate much like you had before."_ Mizuki said cautiously.  _"You will heal much faster than other humans. A side effect from the Protomateria, but nothing you are not used to. Another difference is that you have a longevity much greater than many humans."_

This caused Vincent to flinch. Before, he knew this to be true because he had lost the ability to age years ago. He had always put that notion at the farthest reaches of his conscious because his body had been deteriorating rapidly because of the strain of losing Chaos to the Lifestream in the battle with Deepground.

He would have been able to live a semi normal life if he had kept routine checkups with Edward and remained on the down low in any other battle. Now, the realization of immortality was stronger than ever and he had a fresh body that didn't have any visible flaws.

Vincent was shaken from his thoughts by Yuffie as she leaned into him and wrapped her arms firmly around him.

He looked at her as the ninja smiled against his chest.

"Then I will live forever, too, Vince." she whispered. "I won't be anywhere without you again."

Vincent's eyes narrowed a little as he held her tightly.

He wouldn't make her suffer twice. He wouldn't.

 _"On the **plus**  side, however," _Mizuki interjected with a small grin,  _"I have given you a failsafe so that I can keep my promise to my daughter and allow her to live the full and rich life she deserved."_

Yuffie turned and looked at her mother's spirit with bright, lavender red eyes as Vincent looked up at Mizuki.

**_"Mizuki, you speak nonsense."_ **

_"Give me a chance, Chaos, please."_  Mizuki interjected lightly.  _"You see, **you**  may have given up your demon horns, but with some clever magic working and a little trickery, I have worked a spell for you. I know it is your wish to never be separated from Vincent Valentine, and it is  **his**  wish to never be separated from my daughter. _

_“When the Lifestream calls my daughter, it will not be in vain. Vincent, Chaos, you both have the power to return to the Lifestream at any time. Whenever you feel the need to depart from this world, simply will it, and your body in this time will cease to exist."_

**_"That's impossible, Mizuki. Even if you had worked such magick, the Lifestream is an endless rotation. How would we ever find Yuffie in a new life?"_ **

_"Like this."_

Vincent was startled as Mizuki slowly pulled a very real, very tangible necklace from the folds of her kimono. She slowly bent down and placed the leather cord around his neck first and then turned to Yuffie and placed another leather cord around her neck. Vincent looked down and raised his hand.

As his fingers felt the small, smooth charm, he felt Chaos cry in his mind. The black and red charm was carved into a delicate version of Chaos's eternal mark. Vincent looked at Mizuki with shock as Yuffie looked at the necklace around her neck bearing a charm carved to look like the Crest of Wutai.

"These are made from Chaos's horns!" he breathed.

Mizuki nodded.

_"Yes. You possess the left, while Yuffie possesses the right. There is no force on or off the Planet that could keep Chaos from identifying his own body. Chaos will lead you back to Yuffie wherever she is reborn. Thus, my promise is complete and you will never separate."_

"Doesn't. . .doesn't it seem unfair that we get one another forever. . .and no one else does?" Yuffie breathed gazing at the charm around her neck.

Thoughts of Tifa and Cloud drifted through the ninja's mind as she winced.

 _"Perhaps, but you both are under very different circumstances."_  Mizuki said with a calm smile.  _"For starters, Chaos will not reside within anyone but Vincent Valentine. He does not want to go through any world without him._

_Also, Lucrecia Crescent's dying wish to save the one that had loved her best prevents the Protomateria from being controlled by any other human, either. Vincent still has great responsibility to those duties. But he also has a personal duty to **you,**  Yuffie. He wants to protect you. . .love you. With all of these duties, you can see how important it is for you two to stay together."_

Yuffie nodded slowly. She still didn't feel right about this. Something was missing.

_"And of course, there is the predicament you put yourself in, Yuffie."_

Yuffie looked up at her mother with a start. Her anger flared a little as she glared.

"The position I put  _myself_  into, Mother? No, I do believe it was  _you_  that put me here in this position. Maybe if I had known what a walking time bomb I was I would have been better at history. I would have been able to fight JENOVA and protect this Planet I almost died defending. No, if anyone placed me into this mess, it was a power my  _family_  couldn't control." she hissed.

"Yuffie. . ."

Yuffie turned to Vincent as he gently held her hands and shook his head.

". . .give your mother a chance to explain to you. . ." Vincent breathed softly.

Yuffie felt defeated as she looked into Vincent's subtle gaze. She sighed softly and looked down for a moment before looking up at her mother.

Mizuki smiled sympathetically.

_"I know you are upset. I would be too if I was in your position, but it isn't the family you've disgraced or even discarded. Rather, the family owes **you**."_

Yuffie raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

 _"No woman before you has had the courage you possessed tonight, it is very true."_  Mizuki started with a small nod.  _"But on that same note, none of us had dared to do anything against tradition, either. When I died, Yuffie, it was because I had a feeling you would change things. I had known that since your birth._

_“When I first held you in my arms, I knew that your life would accomplish so many great things. So, when I died, it wasn't in vain, it was simply preparing you for that greatness. It is no consolation, I know, but if I would have lived, Yuffie, you would have grown up just as I had._

_“You would have never become the great ninja you are, and you would never have met such wonderful friends. You would have never found Vincent. Worse, you probably would have been killed in the first wave of Shinra's attacks._

_"You see, Yuffie? Because of your lack of knowledge and your lack of understanding, you provided us with something even greater. . ."_

Yuffie looked at Mizuki with surprise as her mother smiled fondly.

_". . .our FREEDOM."_

The other souls still in the clearing echoed this word as the trees lit up in green sparkles.

Yuffie shook her head after digesting her mother's words.

"If that's true, then why did half of my family hiss and scream at me when I smashed that stupid stone, then?"

 _"You destroyed centuries of tradition, Yuffie. There are some in our family that are strict about tradition."_ Mizuki said with a small smile.  _"But do not doubt me when I say they are no less grateful."_

Yuffie looked at her mother with a slight wince.

"Then, if I ended it, why am I still special?"

_"Just that, Yuffie. You are the one that ended it. The power of the Kisaragi clan may never again be passed on, but like I explained to Chaos many weeks ago, it isn't the charm that contains the power, it is something in our souls and in our bodies that carries it._

_“When you smashed the orb, it took your soul. Now, with Vincent beside you again, you will retake possession of it in a few months. That piece of you that was missing will return. However, since there is no longer any containment for the majority of the strength within, and now since most of the souls will pass on, you have become the charm._

_“You have refused to pass on the power, therefore, it must have an eternal guardian. Like Vincent, you, too, now have a duty to the power that resides within your heart."_

Yuffie looked at Mizuki with a start before slowly looking out at the water where the souls of her family crept closer. She slowly brought her eyes back to her mother as she shook her head.

"But. . .but I have done nothing worth noting. . ."she whispered sheepishly.

 _"Granting thousands of your ancestors their immortal freedom is not worth noting?"_ Mizuki asked sternly.  _"Putting your very life on the line for your beliefs and the life of your unborn child is not bravery in the face of adversary? Yuffie, if courage is not what you displayed moments ago, then nothing is."_

The clearing fell silent as Vincent took a deep breath and lifted his face to the sky. Yuffie looked up at him, startled, as a bright, glittery red erupted from the gunslinger's back and filled the night sky above them.

The souls that remained huddled together and bowed their heads as long, elegant wings came from Vincent's back. Yuffie's eyes filled with tears as Vincent's body eased out from under her and remained suspended above the sand as Chaos slowly emerged from within him and gently wrapped his arms around the gunslinger.

Mizuki frowned for a moment before sighing and shaking her head.

 _"Well, that is something I did not plan for, Master Chaos."_ she finally stated simply.

Chaos ignored the spirit as he slowly raised his head and looked at Yuffie with brilliant, golden eyes. He smiled secretly as he held Vincent's body tightly. He marveled in Yuffie's surprised gaze as he shook his head and spoke.

**_"Courage is not always displayed with steel and warfare. Sometimes it is as simple as standing up for your beliefs without worrying about the outcome. The conscience is clear because you have completed your goal. Courage is not about strength or the measure of your skill in battle. It is about defending what truly matters most to your heart. . ."_ **

Yuffie looked up at Chaos with tears in her eyes as Chaos slowly bowed his head close to Vincent's and placed his forehead against the gunslinger's temple. She gasped a little as Chaos slowly turned his head and looked at her with shimmering eyes.

**_"That's the courage of being HUMAN, Yuffie Kisaragi Valentine. I can promise you that the man before you does not find your sacrifice to be worth 'nothing.'"_ **

Yuffie smiled a little and felt faint.

"Vincent never thought I was. . .nothing. . ."

Mizuki looked at her daughter with a small frown as Chaos slowly descended with a worried look upon his face.

 _"It is the loss of her soul, Chaos."_ the spirit replied softly.

She turned back to Yuffie as the ninja began to pale and sway back and forth.

_"When you shattered the orb, Yuffie, you shattered the connection to the piece of your soul that resided within it. To bring Vincent out of our world and back to this one, we needed to give him the reminder of why he fought so hard to stay alive in the first place. Chaos used your soul as the stimulant to re-awaken Vincent._

_“Therefore, for an undetermined amount of time, Vincent has possession of that piece of you. You expected these risks, Yuffie, I am sure or you would not have proceeded like you have tonight. You must remain close to Vincent for as long as you can, do you understand, Yuffie?"_

Yuffie suddenly felt the world spinning around her as the air felt faint in her lungs. She tried to focus on her mother as things started to fade in and out of her line of vision. She shook her head and brought her hand to her stomach as a sharp pain started to reside there.

**_"Yuffie!"_ **

Mizuki watched with grim features as Chaos quickly retreated back into Vincent and the gunslinger's eyes came open with a start. Vincent shook his head and slowly regained his footing as he looked around. He gasped softly as he saw Yuffie's eyes roll back into her skull.

"Yuffie!"

Yuffie painfully winced and held her stomach with her hands as sharp pains wracked her insides. She trembled and shook as Vincent knelt down beside her and took her into his arms.

_"The baby is trying to force her way into this world."_

Vincent looked up at Mizuki as the young Empress slowly walked toward them and knelt down before them. The remaining souls also walked forward and spoke in hushed Wutainese as Mizuki slowly reached into her robes again and drew out a satchel from her sleeves.

_"We Kisaragi have always used the powers of the earth to guide us in our struggles, Yuffie. And of that great power, we derive the most from the lilac."_

Yuffie looked up through pained eyes as her mother stared at her with a knowing smile. She looked at Mizuki with a wince as the Empress gave her the satchel and smiled.

_"That power and that knowledge is in YOUR hands now, Yuffie. That folklore, those stories, this FAMILY's legacy is up to YOU to pass on as you see fit. Do not forget who gave you life, young one, and do not forget that there were those before you that died for noble causes._

_“Perhaps not always the best of causes, but for ones they believed in. . .just like you. Remember, dear daughter, that with new life comes new promises, and that the world of the future is tucked safely inside the folds of the past."_

Yuffie looked at Mizuki with confusion as the Empress smiled once more and caressed her cheek before standing up and making her way back to the crowd of souls on the pond.

Yuffie shook her head with fear and clutched the satchel tighter as she cried out.

"Mama! Where. . .where are you going?"

Mizuki smiled as she slowly started to turn green like the souls around her. She looked back at her daughter and son-in-law with a gentle countenance as she shook her head.

_"I am going where free souls roam. I am going where green grasses sway and crystal waters shimmer. I will be in the light of your child's eyes. I will be in the wind when it caresses your cheek; and I will be the lilac bloom in the spring when the snows melt away. I will be everywhere, Yuffie._

_“ Just as I promised, you and your beloved are together, and I will be waiting for you when the time comes. For now, young one, rest, and seek care. You have friends and family who love you here. . .and now. Good luck, little one. . .and I shall be with you when the pain is at its worst._

_"Remember, stay close to Vincent for now._

_"Most of all, Yuffie. . .I love you."_

Yuffie shielded her eyes as the other souls circled around Mizuki and a bright, green light swarmed through the clearing. She painfully lowered her hand as ancient chants of her culture softly echoed through the trees. Across the pond, the waterfall started flowing freely over the rocks once more.

The young Shinobi held the packet of lilacs in her hands as her eyes dropped to her lap and to the baby still pulsing in her abdomen. Her mother's words rolled in her skull as Vincent held her closer. After a moment, nostalgia wore off and Yuffie suddenly felt very, very tired.

"Yuffie, what's wrong?" Vincent asked quickly.

"Feel. . .feel. . .need. . .Ed. . ."

Vincent gasped and quickly wrapped his arms around Yuffie as the ninja fainted. Her head fell over his arm as the ninja's hands fell from her lap.

The gunslinger shook his head with worry and looked up with an angry start as he heard thrashing in the trees behind him.

**_"Your pupils, Vincent."_ **

Sure enough, from the trees with his pistols gleaming was Vox. He glared hatefully for a moment before turning his guns to Vincent and gasping. From behind him, Rina slowly lowered her hands and let the green aura surrounding them fade away. She stood silent for a moment before smiling and gently easing Vox's arms down.

"Welcome back, Sensei."

Vincent smiled a little and nodded before turning his attention back to Yuffie as he felt her shudder in his arms.

Rina noticed the pain stricken look on the gunslinger's face and quickly ran toward him. She gasped as she felt Yuffie's abdomen and then felt for her pulse.

"We have to get her back to Base." she said looking at Vincent. "She's going into labor, and her pulse is too weak. We have to try and stop it. Come on, we have our car waiting just outside the forest."

Vincent didn't waste any time in lifting Yuffie up in his arms and turning toward Vox. He noted the young man's awkward stare and smirked.

"Didn't think your training was done yet, did you?" he asked softly.

Vox shook his head clear and after a moment grinned.

"I had hoped."

He watched with a smaller smile as Vincent's wings slowly erupted from his back and Chaos sighed from within his mind.

Vox nodded to Rina who quickly ran forward and leapt onto his back as the icy haired gunslinger holstered his weapons and looked at Vincent.

"Try to keep up, old man." he replied as he took off.

Vincent laughed softly and shook his head as he shot up from the ground and kept a close pace with the sprinting young duo beneath him.


	34. Stretto

As they all came to a stop beside Vox's vehicle, Rina jumped off of Vox's back and gently took Yuffie from Vincent's arms as the gunslinger got into the back seat and waited. Between the two of them, they eased Yuffie into the backseat and into Vincent's arms. Rina quickly shut the back door and took her place beside Vox in the front. As soon as her door was shut, Vox threw the vehicle into gear and they were racing across the Wutai plains.

From the back, bathed in full moon light, Vincent painfully held Yuffie and stroked her face. He marveled in her longer hair and her alabaster skin as if it had been lifetimes since he had seen her. He felt a pain in his heart for the times he could not be with her when the child inside of her was starting to grow. Despite the awkwardness, Vincent slowly trailed his palm over Yuffie's swollen stomach and let his eyes widen in surprise as he felt a strong "thump" against his fingers.

"She's saying 'hello.'"

Vincent looked up as Rina looked at him from the front seat with a smile.

"Hello." he said softly looking down at Yuffie's stomach.

He held Yuffie tighter before looking up at Rina again.

"Rachel was the name of one of my sisters." he said softly.

Rina was startled as she looked over at Vox who's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel as he drove.

Vox slowly smiled and laughed.

"Pretty ironic, Sensei." he said looking at Vincent through the rear view mirror. "My sister's name was Rachel."

Vincent could see that the name had meant much to both of them and softly smiled.

"You will have to tell me about your Rachel someday, Vox."

"Only if I get to hear about yours." Vox agreed.

They were silent for a few moments as the road continued to flash by them. Vincent looked down at Yuffie again and noticed the beautiful brooch that was nestled at the center of her dress. As he admired the craft, he caught sight of the tiny dragonfly in the resin.

"Is this your work, Vox?"

Rina, again, looked at Vox with surprise as the young gunslinger smiled.

"Sure is, Sensei. I worked on that for her for weeks. She had quite a few demands, but I think I did all right. . .considering I ignored all of them." Vox answered with a nod.

Vincent nodded in response as he slowly ran his fingers over the symbols in the circle inlays.

"It's beautifully crafted, Vox. You have a way with metal."

"Thanks." Vox replied with pride.

Rina smiled warmly at her companion as she felt his happiness swell through her. Vox had missed their teacher much more than she had originally thought. The young woman quickly turned her attention back to Vincent, however, as Yuffie cried out in pain.

Vincent was startled as Yuffie's back arched in his lap and her hands instinctively came up to her abdomen.

"God, dammit, that kid isn't going to wait much longer!" Rina cursed. "Can't you go any faster, Vox!"

"I am going as fast as the power supply will let us!" Vox cried as he maneuvered around a truck making its way out of Wutai.

Rina sighed and fervently tried to think of a solution. As Yuffie's strangled cry came again and Rina noticed how red and sweaty her face was getting, she knew there would be no choice.

"Go to the palace!"

Vox looked at Rina as the young woman turned around in her seat and pulled out her cell phone.

"Are you bloody insane! She will KILL US if we take her there!"

"We don't have a choice. There is bound to be a doctor or medicine worker at the palace that can stop her labor. We will never make it back to Kalm." Rina replied calmly as she started dialing numbers.

As Vox hesitated again, Rina turned to him with electric green eyes.

"Okay! Okay! I'm going!" Vox answered turning the wheel to the left and heading toward the brightly lit metropolis of Wutai Proper.

As Rina called Edward and Reeve at WRO Headquarters and Vox continued to drive like a mad man, Vincent painfully held Yuffie closer. He didn't know what to do to help. He felt completely useless.

**_"Talk to her, Vincent."_ **

Vincent heard Chaos's calm reserve come from the depths of his mind as he carefully ran his hands over Yuffie's clammy, sweat soaked forehead. He brushed her hair away from her face and held one of her hands tightly in his as Yuffie continued to whimper.

"I'm here, Yuffie. I. . .I don't know what help I am, but I am here. . .and I am never going to leave your side again."

Chaos's horns shimmered in unison as Vincent gently placed his lips on Yuffie's and kept her body close to his. As the gunslinger pulled away, he looked at his ninja with narrow, red eyes full of fear and worry.

_"Is this what it's like?"_

**_"What, 'what' is like?"_ **

_"Being human?"_

Chaos laughed from within his mind and left Vincent to his thoughts as the car came to a short halt in front of the palace gates.

As soldiers surrounded the car and Rina yelled orders out of the front seat, Vincent lifted Yuffie higher in his arms and held her tightly.

Upon seeing their princess in the arms of the man they had thought dead, the soldiers looked at one another with shock and were suddenly afraid.

Vincent looked out the window with red eyes shimmering as he spoke.

"Let us pass. Your princess is in danger."

His Wutainese was flawless and the soldiers moved at once to open the gates.

As Vox proceeded forward to the main building and stopped the car, Rina quickly got out and opened the side door. Vincent maneuvered his way out with Yuffie in his arms as he turned to the nearest soldier and frowned.

"I am looking for a medicine worker named Gwendolyn. Do you know her?" he asked in Wutainese.

The soldier looked afraid for a momen. He thought about the question before nodding.

"Yes, she works miracles for His Majesty! She resides in the inner court!" the soldier replied humbly.

"Get her for me. Where can I take the princess to rest?" Vincent asked as he began walking toward the palace.

"In my chambers."

Vincent and the others looked up as the familiar, commanding voice echoed down to them.

Godo frowned firmly from the top of the palace stairs. He had lost considerable weight in the many months he had spent in the mountains. His face was clean shaven and his eyes were a pristine blue. His hair flowed gently in the wind as his robes brushed the fine marble of the steps. In his hand he held the pouch Yuffie had sent to him hours ago. He looked into Vincent's eyes with a look of respect as an equal.

"My daughter owes her very existence to you, Vincent Valentine. This land is hers now." he said calmly.

Vincent remained silent but nodded to acknowledge Godo's simple, but extremely important statement. He looked around him as the soldiers responded to Godo's orders and escorted him up the staircase.

"GET ME POPO GWENDOLYN!" roared Godo as his soldiers continued to cower. "This be not a spirit, but a man of flesh and blood! He holds my ailing daughter in his arms. YOU DARE DISOBEY AN ORDER FROM YOUR EMPEROR! MOVE IT!"

The soldiers were stationary no longer. They moved like lightning and the call was sent out all over Wutai that the White Rose and her Prince had returned.

The battle had ended.


	35. Velocissimo

"Yuffie! You fight this! You were prepared for your future, FIGHT IT!"

Yuffie screamed as blinding pain seared her abdomen. Her face was a mess of sweat and fever as she clutched the sheets of the bed in her fists. Her body was in agony as her violet eyes seethed with anger and regret. If she'd have had any idea this was what it was like to have children, she would have punched Vincent in the junk a long time ago.

"Yuffie, FIGHT IT!"

"I AM GODDAMMIT! I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, DO YOU HEAR ME!" Yuffie screamed back at the woman that was busy at her birthing door.

The white haired woman with a worn, tan face grinned from between Yuffie's knees and nodded.

"That's the spirit, daughtie." she replied.

Her bright, blue eyes returned to their task of working herbs and medicine into Yuffie's body to try and calm the muscles from contracting. She kept Yuffie's legs apart long enough to stop another contraction and as she waited for a few minutes more, she watched another one ebb. After nearly 30 minutes of this, the older woman gently eased Yuffie's legs down and began rubbing the young princess's feet with henna and oil.

"Well, that was certainly exciting, wasn't it, daughtie?" she asked with a grin on her face.

Yuffie gasped for air and tried to loosen her fingers from the sheets as her eyes painfully closed. She collapsed backward on the pile of pillows at her back as she tried to focus on her Popo's hands on her feet. She had expected pain, but not pain like that.

The medicine woman, Gwendolyn, known as "Popo" to the young princess she had raised, gently set Yuffie's feet down on the sheets and slowly stood up. Her dark blue dress was smeared with herb residue and blood as she reached for a white towel she had set at Yuffie's side.

She smiled as she wiped the henna and herbs from her hands and looked at the little princess.

"It hurts more because the child is not just a human child, it is a gifted child of Chaos's breed, too. Your dear girl will bring a change to this great land like no other. Special things have a higher cost."

Yuffie looked up at Gwendolyn through half closed eyes as Gwendolyn poured some water out of a pitcher and into a bowl.

"Gifted?" she breathed.

"Oh, to be sure, daughtie." Gwendolyn replied as she sat down beside Yuffie and dipped a washcloth into the cool water.

She slowly dabbed at Yuffie's forehead and neck as she smiled again.

"A daughter of great strength and power. You should count your blessings. I have feelings that your young friend may not be so lucky."

Yuffie lifted her head at this point as her thoughts immediately went to Tifa and her unborn child.

"What do you mean, you have 'feelings,' Popo?" she asked with fear. "What have you seen?"

"Calm down, daughtie, or you are going to be in the same, sorry position again." Gwendolyn warned as she gently pushed Yuffie back against the pillows.

Yuffie refused to let Gwendolyn's stare out of her own as she frowned.

" _What_  have you  _seen_?" she repeated.

Gwendolyn sighed softly as she put the washcloth in the basin and set it aside on the nightstand.

"Your thoughts serve you well, daughtie. Your young warrior friend will have a much harder fight. It will be filled with sorrow only because the one she loves will never be rid of the genes that fill his body. With the coming of her children, they will do unto her what the One Winged Angel does to his better half. A life of torment will fill her until peace is made inside Cloud Strife's body."

Yuffie's eyes filled with tears as she thought about how excited Tifa was to be having a child. She painfully looked away as this new knowledge filled her mind.

"But, daughtie, I did not say that it was hopeless." Gwendolyn said softly as she turned Yuffie's face back to hers.

"How can that NOT be hopeless, Popo?" Yuffie breathed as Gwendolyn wiped the tears from her cheeks. "All Tifa can talk about is having a baby."

"Ah, but what of the young warrior himself?" Gwendolyn asked with a small smile. "Does he share in her joy?"

"Well, yeah, I mean. . .of course he does. . .because. . .Tifa is happy. . ."

Yuffie suddenly came to the realization that Cloud didn't seem thrilled when he found out Tifa was pregnant. In fact, he looked sad and distraught over the whole thing. The ninja looked up at the woman sitting beside her, surprised.

Gwendolyn smiled and nodded.

"He knows this, too, daughtie. There is no need to fret. It  _will_  work out. They will have to work out their own troubles just as you did. Do not worry."

Yuffie smiled a little as Gwendolyn eased her troubled heart. Popo was always good at that. She looked up and around as Gwendolyn rose to her feet and searched for something in the satchel sitting on the table beside the water basin.

"Where's Vincent, Popo?"

"Sitting right outside the door." Gwendolyn said turning to the large, oak doors that were at the far end of the room. "He explained to me your predicament with your soul, but a birthing chamber is no place for men. Sorry, daughtie. Besides, you might have killed him had he been near you." she added with a small grin.

Yuffie smiled faintly as she nodded.

"You're probably right." she agreed.

She sighed softly as Gwendolyn gently lifted her long hair from her neck and shoulders and tied it back with a piece of cloth soaked in a lavender and lilac oil. The cool air from the room was a welcome feeling against her hot skin as Gwendolyn gently brushed her sweat away with the damp washcloth from the basin. Yuffie painfully flinched as she brought her hands to her aching abdomen. She felt her baby kick from within her and she winced again.

Gwendolyn looked down at her as she set the princess back against her pillows.

"Is it still bothering you, Yuffie?" she asked softly.

"A little, but it is all right, Popo." Yuffie said with a faint smile. "Costs of war, I guess."

Gwendolyn smiled.

"I staunched the blood for now, and I prevented an early loss. The herbs should numb the pain for awhile, but I am sure your fancy doctor from the city will be here shortly. He probably won't like what I've done."

"Ed? Nah, he will be okay. He'd probably commend you, Popo." Yuffie said with a smile. "Yuko is into the old medicine."

"I see. Well, good to know that my services will not go unneeded." Gwendolyn said as she stood up. "You will have to stay immobile as much as possible, daughtie. Any sort of activity may set that girl off again. I may not be able to stop another big one like tonight."

Yuffie winced a little.

"I'll have to stay here?" she asked begrudgingly.

Gwendolyn smiled again as she brought Yuffie's covers up over her and set the ninja's arms on top of the rich, creamy coverlet.

"It won't be so bad, Yuffie. Your father has changed in the months you have been gone. He was in the mountains with Perez for over three months. In that time, he toned up, quit the sake, and had a spiritual journey. He left right after Cloud Strife told him you were expecting.

“After that meeting with the young warrior and the Shinra son, your father was inconsolable. So, his good friend took him out to clear his weary, drunken head. When your mother's Empress Seal came back to him tonight and he read your letter, he was never prouder of you."

Yuffie looked at Gwendolyn with some surprise before smiling softly and shaking her head.

"Good old Godo, I suppose." she mused.

"Indeed." Gwendolyn said as she crossed her arms and looked down at the young ninja.

Yuffie looked up at Gwendolyn as she nodded.

"I will try to tolerate him."

"I will tell him not to excite you too much." Gwendolyn said with a firm nod. "Your man, too. The littlest thing could set you off. Bed rest for at least five or seven days. Never an even number."

"I know, Popo." Yuffie said looking at her caretaker with a small smirk.

She was quiet for a moment before she felt Vincent stirring anxiously outside.

"May I please see Vincent now, Popo." she said softly. "It's. . .it's been so long. . .and. . .and I was unconscious for most of our reunion."

"Of course, love. I have done all I can right now and I will let your 'Ed' decide what he wants to do with you once he gets here. I will fill him in before I let him enter." Gwendolyn said as she packed her satchel and put it over her shoulder.

"You'll stay, though. . .won't you, Popo?"

Gwendolyn smiled down at the girl she had raised since she was a young child. She gently patted Yuffie's hand and nodded.

"Of course I will, daughtie. They couldn't keep me away from you."

Yuffie smiled as Gwendolyn nodded and walked down the small steps where the futons were placed and walked the tatami strewn floors to the doors. The ninja drowsily let her eyes narrow as she started to feel better.

As she heard the doors creak open, she saw the familiar, red eyes looking worriedly for her. Gwendolyn spoke several words in Wutainese that only Vincent could hear to which the gunslinger nodded and agreed. After that, the medicine woman took her leave and allowed Vincent to pass. The doors closed softly again as Vincent made his way across the room.

"Vincent. . ."

The ninja smiled sleepily as the gunslinger quickly finished the distance and sat down at her side. Yuffie breathed in Vincent's scent as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Her eyes were a bright violet as Vincent leaned her back and ran his fingers over her cheek. He looked down at her with a small smile as he rested his palm against her face.

"I missed you so much."

Yuffie looked at Vincent with a small start as the words softly left the gunslinger's mouth.

"I missed you, too, Vincent. You have no idea how much it hurt. . .how much waking up alone… knowing I. . .knowing I was without you. . ." she breathed.

Vincent painfully flinched and ran his fingers back into Yuffie's hair and brought her head back to his chest as he held her tight.

Yuffie slowly wrapped her arms around his waist as she listened to his strong, steady heartbeat.

"I'm sorry I caused you that pain, Yuffie. I didn't want to, but please, understand that I wanted you to live. I wanted what you had in your heart to survive and carry on for the rest of your friends. I loved you so much.

“I didn't want your life to be taken by the same forces that took my life, Aeris' life. . . .and so many others. I didn't want you to end it all that way. Please understand, Yuffie. . .I did it because I wanted to be free. I wanted to love you with a clear conscience, and a pure soul."

Yuffie looked up at Vincent with tears in her eyes as Vincent gently tilted her chin upward. Her eyes quivered as he gazed into her face and smiled the smile that was for her alone.

"I wanted to be with you forever."

Vincent held Yuffie tight as the ninja clutched him harder and started to cry. He painfully winced as he heard her gasp for air and he quickly rubbed her back with his hand as he put his head against hers.

"Shh. . .Yuffie, it's all right. It's all right. . .that's over now. I'm here. I'm here, now."

Yuffie tried desperately to calm down knowing what would happen if she failed to heed Gwendolyn's warning.

After a few moments the ninja managed to reduce her sobbing to small gasps and whimpers as she slowly pulled away from Vincent and put her small hands on the gunslinger's shoulders. She kept her head bent as she started to speak.

"I didn't realize how much it hurt until after I had to live with the fact you were gone. I kept trying to tell myself it hadn't happened. I was so upset and distraught that I blocked the memories of everything that had happened. When I woke up from the battle, I realized that I was alone.

“I didn't have your arm or your heartbeat. I didn't have anything that was yours. . .until Edward told me I had your baby. I was prepared to let myself wear away because my heart was in so much pain. But the moment Edward said the words, 'You're pregnant,' I knew I couldn't. I knew I had to survive if for her alone. But it wasn't easy, Vincent. It wasn't easy."

Vincent painfully narrowed his eyes as Yuffie looked up and met his gaze. His hands trembled as he carefully cupped her face in his palms and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. His eyes were a bright, clear red as Yuffie smiled.

"If it weren't for Vox and Rina, I am sure I would have killed myself, Vince. . .I didn't want to live in a world without you! I wanted you back! I wanted your arms to hold me, and I wanted your voice to say my name! I wanted to be at our table eating Sweet Caroline again! I WANTED TO BE WITH YOU!"

Vincent shook his head and grabbed hold of the ninja as she started crying again. He felt his heart aching as he felt all of the ninja's pain and sorrow come pouring out of her. It hadn't been easy for Yuffie. He knew that.

He knew that her heart had attached itself to his. He knew if he became intimate with her in any way, she would be forever a part of him. His pain, her pain, their pain. . .it was all the same. Their hearts ached in unison because of their inability to part when they knew it was necessary.

He painfully opened his eyes as tears fell into Yuffie's hair.

"I'm sorry, Yuffie. I am sorry I caused you such pain and misery. I didn't want it to be that way. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"I know, Vince. I know you didn't."

Vincent leaned back as Yuffie spoke softly and sniffled. He stared at the ninja as she slowly reached up and brushed his tears from his cheeks with her soft, agile hands. He closed his eyes and relished the feeling on his skin as he returned his gaze to Yuffie's face.

"That's why I went back to the clearing when I knew that Rachel would be spared." Yuffie said as she put her hands on her belly. "I knew that Vox and Rina would come, and if anything were to happen to me, they would save my daughter and return to Kalm. They'd raise her for me."

Yuffie looked up at Vincent with a sad smile.

"I had a plan. I knew what  _I_  would do. I didn't know what Chaos or my mother would do. I was not made privy to that plan. Lucrecia, however, did tell me to believe in what could not be seen, heard, touched, or smelled. She said to believe in the unconditional. I must have. I believed in everything in that split second my world crashed around me. I gave everything but my belief tonight, Vincent. . .because I wanted you back. . ."

Yuffie watched as Vincent slowly ran his hands down her arms and gently placed his hands on top of hers against her belly. They felt the child they shared and both smiled at one another as the warmth and light both had missed for so long came flooding back to them.

"Well, that doesn't have to happen now, Yuffie." Vincent said softly. "Because you're here, and I'm back. Rachel will have both of her parents for a very long time. . .and she will know of all of the great things that happened to bring her into this world."

Vincent closed his eyes and lowered his head as Yuffie reached up and pulled his neck lower so she could kiss his lips. She tasted of sweet jasmine and mint as he slowly brought his hands up and buried his fingers in her hair. He felt Yuffie's hands clutch his neck and shirt as he carefully leaned her back against her pillows and deepened his kiss.

He'd missed this.

He'd missed how his lover tasted, how her breath felt against his skin, and how her body fit together with his. He had missed the fire that erupted from his heart every time he heard her moan or sigh blissfully.

Vincent slowly pulled away from Yuffie with a small gasp as he put his arm over her and carefully laid his head down across her chest. His eyes narrowed as he heard two, strong heartbeats from within Yuffie's body.

A stray tear slid down the gunslinger's cheek as he heard Yuffie sigh and bring her hands up his back. He closed his eyes and buried his head further into Yuffie's fragrant skin as he felt her skilled fingers move through his hair and over his scalp.

"Your hair is short like it was back then. . ."

Vincent opened his eyes but kept his head where it was as he heard Yuffie's musings.

"Back then?"

"Lucrecia. . .she showed me pieces of your past. . .and hers." Yuffie replied softly as she continued to run her hands through Vincent's shorter hair. "I saw you as you were with her. You looked very handsome as a Turk."

Vincent glared as he remembered his days in that uniform under the cruel practices of Shinra.

"That is a me I wish I could forget."

"Hmm. . .we all have things that we are not proud of, Vincent." Yuffie said softly. "I have many things I am not proud of, and I don't just mean the things I have done tonight."

"You didn't kill innocent people at the hands of a maniacal madman." Vincent said hatefully. "You didn't slay those who stood in your way! Your hands could never be as bloody as mine."

"Hmm. . .perhaps. . .but you don't know, do you, Vincent? It really does depend on the person's definition of bloodshed."

Vincent raised his head and looked at Yuffie as she kept her hands at the back of his head. His eyes searched hers until Yuffie shook her head.

"I watched my father slay hundreds of his own people. I could have stopped him. . .said something. . .but I didn't. I let their blood flow in pools. I didn't know if they were really traitors. I could only believe what I was told, right? Those people were Wutai natives that had "gotten sick" and needed to be disposed of because they had plagued the land in which they lived. It didn't matter if it was Geostigma, the plague, or some excuse my father came up with to console me later, but I let those people be killed without mercy. Hundreds of people, Vince. . .and one voice could have saved them."

Vincent looked at Yuffie as the ninja calmly retold a story from her childhood. He saw the pain in her eyes, but above that, he saw the power of acceptance. Yuffie had made peace with the fact that she did not act, but that there may or may not have been anything she could do about it. The gunslinger stared as the ninja smiled at him.

"Sometimes it is how we avenge the fallen that makes up for our sin." the ninja said quietly.

Yuffie closed her eyes and smiled brighter as she held Vincent close to her breast.

Everyone had flaws they weren't proud of in the lives that they lived. It was how the individual chose move on that made those flaws repairable or not.

"I love you, Vincent. . .welcome home."

Vincent slowly raised his head again and looked down into Yuffie's bright, violet red eyes with a small smile. She returned his smile with her own as the gunslinger ran his nose along her jawbone and nuzzled her ear. She giggled softly and dug her fingers gently into his scalp as he kissed the side of her face.

"I love you, Yuffie. . .and there is no place I'd rather be than right here. . .taking care of you and our baby."

It was perhaps the most heartfelt line Yuffie had ever heard from the gunslinger, and as he slowly returned his gaze to her own, she knew that Vincent knew that as well.

Vincent smiled softly as he shook his head.

"I was kinder in those days, too." he breathed.

"You've always been kind to me, Vince."

Yuffie closed her eyes and leaned into Vincent as the gunslinger passionately brought his lips down upon hers. She'd missed his kiss, his touch, and his weight against her body. She'd missed the anchor that kept her tethered to the world in which she wanted to live.

As she parted from him, Yuffie smiled and trailed her fingers across Vincent's jaw. She smiled brighter as Vincent smiled down at her.

"I love you, Vincent."

"I love you, too, Yuffie."

Both of them turned their attention to the door as they heard a swift rap from the outside.

"God, I'd recognize that knock anywhere." muttered Yuffie as Vincent slowly sat up.


	36. Omaggio

As the doors swiftly came open, Yuffie nodded at Vincent as Yuko quickly walked into the room followed by Edward Shimura. From the hallway, Yuffie caught sight of Reeve speaking with Godo, Gwendolyn, Vox, and Rina before the doors slid shut behind Edward.

Yuko stopped short of the bedside as she looked at Vincent with a start. She stared for a moment before smiling and shaking her head.

"Mizuki did well by you, then, Vincent?" she asked softly.

Vincent smiled back and nodded.

"What did I tell you, both. . .you are going to put me in an early grave. . ."

Yuko turned with a small toss of her head as her husband slowly came up beside her and surveyed the two warriors with a grim face. It lasted for only a few moments longer as Edward smiled a little and adjusted his glasses.

". . .but I suppose given the circumstances, I could forgive you both. Welcome home, Vincent."

"Thank you, Edward." Vincent said simply. "Thank you for taking care of Yuffie for me."

"It was our pleasure, Vincent." Yuko said softly as she nodded. "How did the Infinity work for you both?"

"By Chaos's reckoning, it did more than we could have ever asked it to do." Vincent replied looking down before meeting Yuko's eyes. "Thank you for your dedication to creating it."

"Gwendolyn and I are mighty proud of the work we do."

Yuffie looked at Yuko with a start.

"Popo?"

Yuko smiled warmly.

"I know it seems improbable, but Gwendolyn is my older sister. Our youngest sister crafted the work of the Earth Mako for the Infinity. Our youngest sister resides in Edge. I do believe you know her. Sachiko Perchalis?"

"Perchalis. . .she. ..she owns the store Rina and I buy everything from. . ." Yuffie whispered.       "Popo raised me. . .and you. . .you kept me sane!"

"Trivial matters, really. But I do believe we kept all of the promises to various members of the Valentine and Kisaragi families." Yuko said matter of factly. "Your mother strikes a hard bargain when it comes to repayment."

Yuffie was stunned as she tried to process all of the information Yuko was feeding her. As she sat there, she was oblivious to Edward taking vitals and listening to her heart.

"Valentine family. . .the last surviving members of my family have been dead for a very long time, Yuko." Vincent said softly as he looked away.

"Well, it was Gwendolyn who received the orders from Grimoire and Lucrecia, actually." Yuko said as she put her fingers to her lips in thought. "Well, not really orders, per say. I guess they were more of a request. Gwendolyn and I both lived in the Valleys of Wutai. I hadn't met Edward yet, and Gwendolyn was the village healer. Sachiko was younger, but she had found a young man in Midgar to settle herself down with so she made her way to live with him.

“While Gwendolyn and I lived out our time in the valleys, I enlisted to help in the Shinra/Wutai Wars. Unknowing of what would happen in the near future, Gwen and I decided to leave the Valley and move to the Proper area. That is where we met  _you_ , Yuffie."

Yuffie looked at Yuko as the door slowly opened again and Gwendolyn silently came back into the room with a small smile.

"And we came across your mother." she added as she came up beside Yuko.

Yuffie looked at the two of them with shock as she noticed subtle similarities in facial features and posture. She shook her head as Edward spoke softly to Vincent.

"But. . .but. . ."

"We got into a bit of trouble with some bandits outside of Wutai Proper. They tried to take our things and our horse. We were in no position to fight, but Gwendolyn was never one to back out of one, so she tried fending them off only to be hurt in the process." Yuko explained to ease Yuffie's mind.

"River trash." Gwendolyn spat remembering the moment.

"Nevertheless, we were in a bind and your mother happened to come upon us with soldiers. She was with you at the time. It was shortly before her untimely death, Yuffie. She called the soldiers forth to disperse the bandits and allowed us to follow her back into the Proper. Upon learning I had enlisted to help the soldiers, she introduced me to Commander Perez who was to lead the struggle against Shinra.

“Gwendolyn was taken to a place she could care for her wound and when your mother came to check up on us, we gave her a solemn oath to repay our debt to her for her kindness. She weighed our seriousness carefully, and after accepting, she said we would know, in time, what we had to do.

"Gwendolyn became the court "miracle" worker and stayed close by the palace for her skills in herb magic and medicinal lore. She became your caretaker at your mother's final resting place. Knowing Godo would find a way to louse it up, Gwendolyn cared for your initial upbringing to keep your powers at bay until you were old enough and strong enough to fight back on your own."

Yuffie looked at Gwendolyn with surprise as the older woman smiled and put her hand on her satchel. She gasped softly as Gwendolyn winked and brushed her hand over her face.

"I look similar to her now, don't I?" she asked with a grin as her white hair became as black as Yuko's and her eyes sparkled even brighter.

Her skin was still dark, but it was firm and youthful. Yet, as quickly as the illusion came, it was gone again, and Yuffie looked at her with fear.

"Much of my youth went into keeping that charm of yours at peace while you grew up into Godo's hate, the loss of your mother, the loss of your homeland, and the loss of your childhood. I gave it because I gave my word to watch out for you until the time came when you would pass into another charge's hands." Gwendolyn said with a small smile.

"Oh. . .oh, Popo, I'm. . .I'm. . ."

"Don't be." Gwendolyn replied looking at Yuffie with a firm nod. "I am proud of my life and my choices. If working a little magic and showing you more love than anything in the world repaid my debts, then I am a lucky woman. I have lived a full life, daughtie. You are the daughter I would have loved to have."

Yuffie smiled a little as tears slid down her cheeks.

She was loved more than she thought.

"No replacement to your parents, but we tried." Gwendolyn added with a wistful sigh.

"We did. I aided Gwendolyn with my own magic, but I was unable to retract my duty to Wutai. I had a power more suited to battle and so I went to help the soldiers in the fields." Yuko said as she turned and met Edward's eyes. "That is where I met Edward, and that is where my story shifted into the branch of the Fire Mako.

“I had the passion and strength in the family to craft the strongest, most important part of Vincent's weapon, Yuffie. My debt to repay your mother was to unite the forces at odds with one another when the time presented itself. Mizuki did not tell me of my mission until after your path with Vincent was set.

“Once that was in motion, I realized that I would have to call upon everything I knew to help you. Our Wutai knowledge of Mako, Gwendolyn's experience with the Kisaragi powers, and Sachiko's unique talent for knowing the earth saved you both. In saving you as Mizuki saved us many years ago, we fulfilled our purposes, and have presented them unto you to continue.

"You see, now, Yuffie? That is why it was so important for you to live. You had a duty to complete, as well. And now, it has come full circle."

Yuffie was in continued shock as Yuko's story came flowing out of her. She sat for a moment, not saying anything, until she turned to Edward with a start.

"YOU." she said pointing at him. "YOU  _knew_  this, DIDN'T YOU!"

"Of course I did, Yuffie, but that doesn't mean it was my story to tell." Edward replied with a small smile. "Yuko was under strict orders to work in secrecy until you had walked your own path, making your own choices."

"OH, but you would badger  _me_  until I'd tell you what I was bloody up to a few days ago!" Yuffie replied sarcastically as she crossed her arms. "You jerk."

Edward laughed.

"I never said I had as much faith in it as you, Yuffie. Or as Yuko and her sisters, for that matter. However, what I did know was that there was something much greater working in the background than I or any other "human" doctor could take care of, okay? I knew that it would eventually lead back to the women that started it all."

Yuffie sighed a little and let her defenses fall as she turned her eyes back to Yuko and Gwendolyn.

"Thank you. . .Yuko. . .Popo. . ." she breathed. "I am in  _your_  debt."

"On the contrary, daughtie." Gwendolyn replied. "We are even."

"Gwen is right, Yuffie." Yuko said with a smile. "We found our own paths by running into your mother. Who knows what would have become of us. It just goes to show that the Great Circle is constantly moving destiny forward into other destinies. We are never alone in our journey. Never."

Yuffie smiled and nodded.

"That doesn't explain why you had to help me."

Yuko turned to Vincent now as she looked at the solemn gunslinger sitting beside the young princess. She smiled as she folded her hands in front of her over her nurse's uniform.

"Oh, but Vincent, it does. . ." she whispered.

"You were chosen at birth, too." Gwendolyn said mysteriously. "The stars were aligned in the skies in a way that made your mother cry, but she knew that you would find your heart and your way through the pain and suffering she saw in your future. Through her will, and that of your sisters', you found your way to your father's door.

“You took up the mantle of the warrior prince, and your sisters carved your path that way for you. They set you up with the tools you would need in the future to make it to Yuffie today. Your weapon, your legend, your story. . .they come from the family that gave you up to destiny. However, it was your  _will_  that spared you from succumbing to it."

Vincent looked up with startled, red eyes as the faint memories of his mother and three older sisters flashed in his mind. He saw the bright smiles of his sisters intermingled with their bright eyes and long, black hair.

He remembered receiving his first six shooter at five from his middle sister. He remembered hearing the story of Cerberus and Hades from his oldest sister. He remembered hearing stories of knights and dragons from his mother. And he remembered, above all, the Relief his youngest sister crafted for him.

_"...and that you will remember what each of us told you, Vincent. About what Mimi taught you about gunsmithing and weapon slinging. . .about the stories and the legends Lucia told you under the stars. . . about the fairy tales and miracles Mama told you about. . .and above all, Vince. . .above all. . .the love and the joy you and I shared. . .me. . .Rachel. . .the sister who will never, EVER forget what you have done for this family and for our story._

_“Tell our story, Vincent. When you find Papa, tell him. . .tell him our stories. . .and pass them on. We love you. . .and in love, you will always have us. . .always. . ."_

Vincent felt his youngest sister's words tugging at his memory as he remembered leaving the Wutai backcountry to pursue work in Midgar. It was the last time he saw any of them.

"Rachel, Mimi, Lucia, and your mother, Uriko. . .they were wonderful people, Vincent. My mother told me stories of your sister Lucia's way with herbs. She even passed some of the knowledge to me."

Vincent looked up with a pained start as Gwendolyn smiled sympathetically at him.

"How do you know their names?" he breathed.

"Like I said, Vincent, we received requests from Grimoire and Lucrecia." Yuko said slowly. "We actually do not know how either of them found Gwendolyn, or how they knew who she was, but we believed it to be the fates of the gods.

“Grimoire had left in Gwendolyn's possession, a request that should anything happen to his son, a family friend should see to it that he remained safe and taken care of within Wutai borders. I am guessing that he was referring to that earlier tie our mother had with yours.

“In any case, it was shortly after this we received word of Grimoire's death and that you had taken a prestigious position in the Turks. I was at the heart of the Shinra beast only because Edward worked closely with then Lieutenant Reeve Tuesti so I fed Gwendolyn information when I could. When she told me of the letter from your father, I, too, was baffled.

"Following the letter's orders, I kept close watch over you until your run in with Hojo. When I received word of your death, I panicked. I feared we had failed in our operatives. However, Gwendolyn received another set of letters. . .these from Lucrecia Crescent. She used the last address Grimoire had of Vincent's loved ones and explained the untimely death of Grimoire's son.

“She included plans of Chaos and Omega and explained her motives for trying to revive you. We finally realized that the danger that must have prompted Grimoire to write to our family was the danger he and Lucrecia had gotten themselves into with Chaos. Like the destiny that brought our paths in contact with Mizuki, so, too, did your path collide with ours."

Vincent digested this and shook his head with disbelief.

"My father died before I was promoted to Turk and assigned to Lucrecia." he said softly.

"Ah, yes, but it was only after Grimoire's death and Lucrecia's eventual acceptance into the JENOVA program that you came into the path of your destiny." Gwendolyn said with a small smile. "You think too much like Yuko's realist husband. You must think about this on a  _global_  scale."

"I wouldn't call myself a realist, Gwendolyn." remarked Edward as he stood up and frowned at Gwendolyn. "I merely refuse to believe in what cannot be proven."

"Realist." repeated Gwendolyn crossing her arms and throwing her head back.

Yuko smiled and shook her head.

"Edward's beliefs aside, Lucrecia left the will of her work in our hands, but entrusted its use in  _yours_. She was only trying to save you, but in trying to save you, she freed herself of sin and selfish nature. What she was doing was no longer trying to prove Chaos existed, but to  _give_  you Chaos in the hopes of your survival."

"Chaos made me insane, Yuko." Vincent said with a slight hint of vehemence. "It doesn't matter what I eventually conquered. I begged her not to go through with her plans. I  _begged_  in the name of my father and her unborn child to leave Midgar and run away. I swore my life to defend her, and after everything, after all of the torture and the pain, she still refused. She let me suffer for her and then refused to let me go. She insisted on making me suffer more. How is THAT selfless?"

"Vincent. . ."

Vincent slowly looked down as Yuffie slowly reached for his hand and painfully held his fingers. He turned to meet her pained gaze as he saw the hurt in her eyes. He instantly regretted how he had placed his words and shook his head as Yuffie's eyes trembled.

"Yuffie, no. . .no, it isn't like that. Please, Yuf, please remember that when I speak of Lucrecia, it is in the past. My feelings for her. . . _my love for **her**_. . .died with the Vincent Valentine she killed. Do you UNDERSTAND me, Yuffie?" Vincent breathed as he put his hands against Yuffie's face.

"Do you understand? The Vincent that loved her died. The Vincent she created, the Vincent she left the world with, couldn't love her like he loved you. You have to believe me, Yuf. I may have loved her once, but the only love left for her when you met me was regret and pain that I still couldn't save her. And when the body she revived, ridden with scars and holes, pain and suffering, finally met its end that night. . .Yuffie, no. . .NO, LOOK AT ME. . ."

Yuffie painfully let Vincent turn her head back to his as she tried to pull away from him. The mention of what she had done to him was too much. She couldn't be reminded of it. She couldn't.

She looked at the gunslinger as tears slid down her cheeks. Her eyes became a bright red like Vincent's as he stared at her.

". . .when you destroyed that body, you finally gave me what I always wanted." Vincent breathed carefully and evenly. "You set me free, Yuffie. You let me go, even when you didn't want to, YOU acted in selflessness. YOU did not prolong what you knew shouldn't be. You gave me my freedom, Yuffie, and I can never repay you for that. I can never repay you."

Yuffie started sobbing as Vincent took her in his arms and held her tightly. His eyes narrowed as he heard her short gasps into his chest.

"I said no excitement, child. What part of that didn't you understand." Gwendolyn said heatedly as she uncrossed her arms and looked at Yuffie with worry.

"It's all right, Gwen." Yuko said softly. "If she doesn't hear the truth, she never will believe in it."

Gwendolyn looked at Yuko with a bit of resentment before standing down and remaining quiet.

"You see, then, Vincent, Lucrecia did act selflessly. She gave you to Yuffie to heal. Lucrecia may not have known your path after her death, but she knew your life would find something better. She didn't want you to live in pain and regret forever. She didn't want you to suffer.

“From her pain, from her sadness, she called upon something so deep in her heart, not even the cosmos could have procured something stronger. She looked past the two Valentines she had slain and called upon the power of her heart to give you something, anything, to let your life continue."

"She created a monster, Yuko." Vincent spat hatefully as he turned his head to look at the woman in front of him. "She created something out of control. There was no way I could have controlled Chaos. Not without whatever she added to the fray later."

"What  _we_  added later. . ."

Vincent stopped and Yuffie's tears slowed as she peaked out from the safety of Vincent's chest.

Vincent glared a little and shook his head.

"What are you talking about?" he hissed.

"The Protomateria, Vincent." sighed Edward as he stretched. "Wish the bloody wench had said something sooner, but it wasn't until your ordeal with Nicoli that Yuko informed me of Gwendolyn and Sachiko's side project."

"Edward." said Yuko with a frown as Gwendolyn stuck her tongue out at the doctor.

Vincent looked at Yuko with surprise.

"You mean. . .the Protomateria wasn't just something that 'appeared' to Lucrecia?"

"Oh, no, do not get me wrong, Vincent, the majority of its strength depended on her will, believe me when I say that." Yuko said quickly. "But as for the physical manifestation of it, yes. Sachiko provided the mako crystal orb crafted from the Mother Gaia and she brought the completed sphere to Gwendolyn.

“Gwendolyn called for me in Midgar where I made the journey to Wutai. It was there I got the first glimpse of the "White Rose of Wutai" that would later steal your heart in the years following the JENOVA crisis. Together, the three of us infused the sphere with the magic of the Elements and prayed that the SPIRIT of your young doctor would prevail over her sorrow, her foolishness, and her selfish nature.

“It must have, because our only duty as Sisters of the Stream are to guide the tools to whom they can be used. If they actually work, well, that is up to the intended.

"When Lucrecia felt true sorrow and loss when she could not revive you with Chaos alone, she begged for help. She searched the deepest parts of her heart and called upon your father's guidance to help her. With that cry into the Lifestream, Grimoire may have very well guided our instrument to her, infused with all of the power you would ever need to control any demon inside of you.

“I couldn't believe it myself until you started seeing Edward after the incidents with Deepground. To see that sphere again was like a brush with true destiny, Vincent. That's when we realized that we were not just idle pawns in this great tragedy. We were players. If we had not acted upon all of the requests and debts thrust unto us you may not have survived. Yuffie would not be as she is and our lives would have gone by wasted."

There was an uneasy silence as the mysteries behind the Protomateria and Lucrecia's struggle came to light. Vincent remained silent and held Yuffie as the ninja buried her face into his shoulder. Edward frowned a little and took his glasses off as he sighed.

"You know, Vincent, I struggled to believe it too, until they showed me the letters and the diagrams they had of the Protomateria. They never named it that, but Lucrecia had never seen anything like it come from the Lifestream, so I am assuming she named it as such for it being the first of its kind.

“In essence, Vincent, the orb in your chest  _was_  the first, cultured materia or mako crafted from the elements with a purpose. I have seen these women do extraordinary things. Even if you cannot believe in the unbelievable, what these women have done with their lives is amazing enough."

"I am not questioning the legitimacy of their story, Edward." Vincent replied calmly as he looked up at his friend. "I am simply stating that I have made my peace with Lucrecia. That part of me is gone. I need what I have  _now_.

“I have fought, you have fought, Yuko and her sisters have fought. Yuffie has fought. . .everyone has fought, and now,  _NOW_ , it is time to move forward and let the past finally rest. These paths have finally converged or these truths would not all be meeting at one point right now. Lucrecia has moved on. She finally has what she always wanted, and in setting her free,  _I_  am finally free."

"Indeed." Yuko said simply.

"You've fought your battles well, young Valentine." Gwendolyn said with a smile. "You took your destiny and commanded it. Even in the face of death, you overcame it. Well done."

"I have done nothing worth noting in my life, Gwendolyn." Vincent said softly. "The greatest thing I have ever done was live for what is with me right here. The greatest achievement in my life is telling this woman I loved her, and her love being mine in return. I never wanted to love for fear of leaving my lover alone. Leaving Yuffie was the hardest decision I have ever made.

“Even though freedom from the pain is what I craved, my love for her was greater. I didn't want her to be alone. To think that I left her with a life that I helped create is something much more amazing than I could have ever hoped to achieve in the life given to me. My achievements in  _my_  life, start now."

"Don't forget your family, Vincent. They haven't forgotten you."

Vincent looked up at Yuko as she stepped forward and slowly returned the Cerberus Relief that Yuffie had placed on the marker for Vincent atop of Cremation Hill in Kalm. Yuffie looked up with surprise as Yuko took Vincent's hand and pressed the metal symbol in his hand. As she wrapped his fingers around it, she held his red eyes with her dark ones.

"You are never without the past, Vincent, and you will always have the memories. There are some that may be forgotten, but others should be treasured and passed on forever. Remember that your sisters had lovely children of their own. Your family lives on in them and in  _you._ "

Vincent looked at Yuko as she smiled and slowly stepped away. He slowly looked down at the Cerberus Relief and felt the smooth ridges in the metal that Rachel had slaved over with Mimi for several weeks. He looked at the three headed dog with a small smile as he remembered his humble beginnings. As Yuffie slowly leaned into him and he tightened his arm around her and the symbol in his hand, Vincent knew that his humble beginnings had led him to a greater future.

"You said my sisters had families. . ." he whispered gently as he kept his eyes on the Relief.

"Yes. Your older sister, Lucia, had two girls. Unfortunately, one passed away in infancy, and Lucia and her other daughter died in the wave of Geostigma that struck the land." Yuko said softly. "Rachel remained with your mother at the farm until your mother passed, shortly after you left. Rachel then moved to the Valley where she lived out her days with your sister Lucia.

“After Lucia's death, Rachel travelled the Planet looking for sick people to heal since Shinra and the Planet seemed unforgiving to them. She lived a full life and passed while you slept in Shinra's Mansion. Your sister, Mimi, however, is the sister who continued to spread the Valentine story."

Vincent felt a very odd feeling pass through his blood as he looked up through the pain of being unable to help his sisters.

"Mimi?"

"Indeed. Mimi had a beautiful daughter and a strong son. The son grew up and went to Midgar to become a soldier. He died in the first wave of attacks on Midgar. The daughter stayed with Mimi until Mimi grew sick and old. Wanting her daughter to marry, she found a young man from Midgar and bid them to marry. Shortly after the marriage was complete, Mimi passed away and left her metalworking shop to her daughter, Victoria.

“Victoria was a twit and couldn't work steel to save herself so she piddled the shop away and sold all of her mother's treasures. In doing so, the couple soon ran into troubles of their own. The young man loved Mimi for her kind nature and her knowledge in gunsmithing. Believing her daughter would be the same, the man had agreed to the marriage for Mimi's sake. Seeing that Victoria was selfish and crude, the man began to drink. The couple became destitute and scrounged for money. Soon after, Victoria gave birth to a girl of her own. . ."

"To which she named, Rachel, as was her mother's desire. . .for her favorite sister." Yuko interrupted looking at Gwendolyn with a small smile.

Gwendolyn, not minding the interruption, smiled back and nodded.

". . .yes, a girl named Rachel. Rachel was a fragile child, but the couple loved her. Knowing they could not provide for her, they raised her until she was old enough to be placed in a boarding school. Hoping she would receive a better life, Rachel spent most of her years in a school for girls. When Rachel was five, Victoria had a son. . ."

"Named Vincent Osric Xavier."

". . .but everybody calls me Vox. . .because I can't stand that name."


	37. Obbligato

Everyone turned as Vox slowly leaned back against the door and let it close without a sound. He looked down at the floor as his long leg kicked back and his foot rested on the paneling of the door. He frowned as his cold, blue eyes glared at the carpet.

"Stupid, long name. My mother never explained to me why she gave it to me. By the time I was old enough to care for myself, she started drinking and going out alone. It was about the time my parents' marriage really started falling apart, I guess.

“My mother. . .she tried. She tried so hard to be what her mother wanted her to be, but she never felt good enough, so she lost herself inside a bottle instead. When Rachel came home from school, she'd take care of me. When Rachel was in the house, there was never any alcohol. My father was always home on time, and my mother was happy. We were a family.

“When she turned 17 and said she'd found the love of her life and she was going to get married, my parents said they were ecstatic, but I could see their worlds shattering. Rachel was their pride and joy. She was the glue that held us together. When the wedding was over, everything changed.

"Mother started drinking, dad started staying at the office longer, and I stayed outside. Funny you mention Memaw's shop, though. . .the person Mom pawned it off on actually did a great job in fixing it up and continuing her work. I never knew much about Memaw or her family. All I knew was that she was an excellent markswoman and did amazing things with steel and guns you couldn't get anywhere else.

“Rachel used to tell me stories of when Memaw and her siblings would craft guns and test them on their farm. So, when my parents were fighting or my mom left me alone, I went to the shop. I made good friends with the owner and that is where I learned to use a weapon. Hmm. . .in retrospect, I don't think I learned fast enough. . ."

Vox looked up through bright blue bangs as he met Vincent's stare.

". . .my father shot me several times and took his own life after saving mine. I was removed from my mother's custody which tore her apart. She took her own life by burning our house down shortly after Rachel took me in. I lived with her until a couple of years ago.

“After the sickness of her childhood took her from me and her family, I couldn't stand to be reminded of all of the things her illness had taken from her. She had kids, too, and they will carry on the story. She told them stories all of the time. It must be a female thing in our family."

There was another awkward silence as Gwendolyn and Yuko looked at one another before slowly turning to Yuffie who coughed and nudged Vincent a little.

"Say something." Yuffie whispered in Wutainese so that Vox couldn't understand.

Vincent paused for a moment before looking at the Cerberus Relief in his hand and then returning his gaze to Vox.

"Vincent is the name of the only son of Valentine." he said softly. "It means "victory" in Latin. It was a name chosen by my father for finally receiving a son to carry on his family's name in his generation. Osric is "the divine ruler" from English lore. It was a favorite story of Lucia's that Mimi always enjoyed hearing. Xavier means "new home" in Latin. . .your mother probably named you as such because you were the only surviving male out of all of my sisters' children.

“Mimi and Lucia had a wonderful way with words and languages. They knew many names and studied the constellations like my own mother. She gave you the name to keep the memory of her family strong when she could not."

Vincent looked at Vox with a seriousness he did not realize he was capable of as the young man's icy blue eyes met his red ones.

"Your mother loved you, Vox. . .it was just a hard love."

Vox was silent for a very long time before sighing and slowly pushing himself forward on both feet. He looked up with a small grin as he nodded.

"Yeah, I know she did. . .and I am sure my old man did, too, but that doesn't change things or how I feel about it. But, like you said, it isn't so much about what happened  _then_ , but what  _will_  happen  _now_ , right?"

Vincent admired Vox's courage in the face of adversity and nodded back with a small smile.

"Yes."

Vox smiled a little brighter and then looked at Yuffie.

"I apologize, Yuffie. Reeve had Shelke on the phone from Kalm saying that Tifa and the others are worried. They wanted me to come in here and prepare you for the imminent arrival of a truckload of people while they tried to stave them off."

"Oh, no they don't!" Gwendolyn said with a frown. "I said no bloody excitement, and what are we doing? We're exciting the poor girl to tears! I say NO! She needs rest."

"I'm afraid I have to side with Gwendolyn on this, Vox." Edward said with a small smile. "Yuffie is in a delicate state right now. She needs rest for a few days first."

"Well, you tell that to the angry mob headed this way." Vox said with a smirk. "Shelke has already tried to stop them."

"Bah! Amateurs!" said Gwendolyn stomping forward. "I'll handle this!"

Vox quickly slid out of Gwendolyn's way as the older woman yanked on the door causing it to open with a shrill squeak.

As she stormed out, Yuko rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I better stop her before she starts on the war path. Edward?"

"Yes, dear." Edward said with another smile.

He looked down at Vincent and Yuffie with a slow nod.

"We'll be back to continue monitoring you. Your heart rate is elevated, calm down."

Yuffie stuck her tongue out at Edward with a smirk and caused the doctor to laugh as he followed his wife out the door.

Vox stood awkwardly for a few seconds before putting his hand at the back of his head and laughing.

"Well, I guess I’ve made it more than awkward! I will leave you guys alone."

"No. Stay, Vox." Yuffie said softly. "Rina, too. . .just for a bit?"

Vox looked at Vincent unsure as Rina stood up from the chair she had been occupying in the hallway.

"Just until I fall asleep, Vincent? They. . .they always wait until I fall asleep on the couch watching television with them, or while I am reading a book. . .please?" Yuffie asked almost sheepishly.

Vincent looked at Vox with a newfound respect.

"You've been staying with her?"

Vox laughed nervously again as he nodded and Rina came into the room.

"Yeah, actually. We just moved in with her so she could be surrounded by all of her things. It was because we wanted to help. . ."

". . .and she asked for us." Rina interjected with a calm smile as she placed a gentle hand on Vox's back.

Vincent looked at her with a small smile.

"Thank you." he said softly.

"Nothing to thank us for, Sensei." Vox said looking down. "We wanted to help Yuffie. She's like our sister. . .we had to protect her."

"They _are_  my family, Vince."

Vincent looked down at Yuffie as she smiled at Rina and Vox before looking at Vincent with bright eyes.

"They are my family!"

"Then they are mine."

Vox looked at Vincent with some surprise as the gunslinger echoed the ninja's comment.

"Thank you, Vincent." Rina said with a nod. "That means a lot. . .to  _both_  of us."

Vincent looked thoughtfully at Vox as Yuffie beckoned them closer to her side. He pondered his next words carefully as Vox sat beside Rina on Yuffie's other side.

"You knew all along who you were, didn't you, Vox?"

Vox looked at Vincent with a small smile as he nodded.

"Rachel told me I was named after you. When you mentioned your own Rachel, you just confirmed it was more than a story. Rachel loved to tell stories. Sometimes I couldn't tell if she was weaving fiction or truth, but I always felt amazed when she spoke. Long story short, I suppose. . .yes, I knew."

"Why didn't you ever say anything, Vox?" Yuffie asked looking at him with a serene smile.

For the first time in many months, she was whole.

"I didn't feel the need to, really." Vox said softly. "Vincent had you and he was happy. Why wreck that? He never mentioned his sisters or his family, so naturally I figured he didn't know there were any of us left. Besides, my name is Morinaga. No one would have guessed I had Valentine blood in me. Why rock the boat?"

"I didn't know." Vincent admitted. "And he is right. I probably wouldn't have believed it save for his amazing skills with a handgun."

Vox raised his eyebrow.

"Say, what?"

Vincent smiled.

"Only one of my sisters' children could have wielded a weapon like that. If I have any hunch about Rachel, she had children of her own outside of marriage and she found out about Mimi's shop. You probably learned from Rachel's child. There is no other explanation, really. You are too evenly matched with me, and they taught me everything I know."

Vox laughed a little.

"It wouldn't surprise me! The woman that ran the shop was named Uriko, and I know that is my mother's grandmother."

Vincent looked down at the Relief in his hand as the missing pieces of his family's history were finally sewn together.

He smiled a little and nodded.

"Rachel promised to name her first daughter after our mother. She wasn't one to break promises."

"Well, you know," Yuffie said as she yawned, "there is still one thing that is bugging me."

"One thing?" Rina asked with a small smile as Yuffie's eyelids drooped.

"Yes." Yuffie said with a firm frown. "HOW in the  _hell_  did you get that door open without it squeaking!"

Rina laughed as Yuffie stared at Vox accusingly.

"That is what's bothering you, Yuffie?" Vincent asked with an amused smile. "Of all the things that could be troubling you,  _that_  is what's bothering you?"

"No, no, no, you don't understand." Yuffie said as Vox laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "I have grown  _UP_ with that door, trying to sneak in here and prove to Godo I was a true ninja. But as you have NOTICED, every time I made to enter this room the door would squeak and he would tell me to go to bed."

Vox smiled at Yuffie as the ninja yawned again.

He looked down as he shook his head.

"The hinges are the secret. They are designed to alert the occupant of the room that someone is coming inside. The way around them is to apply pressure  _upward_ , not  _in_ ward, on the door's center. You usually have to use your shoulder to get enough pressure underneath the damn thing to keep the hinges from rubbing against their metal plates. My father had one on the office to his study, and he told me about them. He taught me how to elude people that way too."

"Stupid hinges." Yuffie breathed as she settled back against her pillows.

Vox smiled helplessly as he shook his head again.

"Yeah. . .stupid hinges."

As Yuffie slowly drifted off to sleep, Rina looked up at Vincent with a small smile.

"She's missed you, you know." she said softly. "It really is a full time job taking care of her. I can understand why you had such a difficult time."

Vincent smiled back at Rina as he turned his attention to Yuffie's peaceful face and gently ran his fingers across her cheek. He felt his heart swell with joy as she sighed beneath his touch and leaned into his fingers.

"It was never difficult, Rina." Vincent whispered as he let his hand fall gently away from Yuffie's face.

He looked at Rina with eyes brighter than embers as he shook his head.

"She was never difficult. . ."

Rina smiled as Vox looked at her and gently put his arms around her. She nodded slowly as she looked up at him.

"Yuffie is Yuffie." she said. "Right, Vox?"

Vox nodded and looked at Vincent with shining blue eyes that glinted in the soft light.

"And Yuffie is why we fight so hard. The end to a story left unfinished for so long. . .she starts a chapter all her own. . .and we want to be there for her for as long as we can."

"Thank you both." Vincent said with narrow eyes. "Thank you so much for everything you have done for Yuffie. I was afraid that Edward might not be able to handle her. . .and Yuko had done so much already."

"Yuko asked us." Rina said softly. "She told us that we were the only ones that could ease her broken heart. She said that without our guidance, and our love, she may not survive her greatest triumph."

Vincent sat silently for a few seconds before slowly looking up at Vox and Rina.

Suddenly, it all made sense.

"I never really left her at all, did I?" Vincent asked softly.

Vox smiled knowing what his great uncle had figured out.

"No." he said softly. "You left her with family."

"You left her with the keys to the past. . .and the power of the future." Rina said nodding. "My brother led Lucrecia to Yuffie. . ."

"And I kept your memory with her in body. I kept her fighting when she didn't want to. And Rina healed her heart from the inside out." Vox added.

Vincent smiled a little.

"You  _are_  Mimi's grandson." he said with a thoughtful look in his stare. "Mimi had a wonderful way with words. She would weave stories like she welded metal. They were strong and steadfast. She could pound steel into silver and work words into sounds and colors. When she and Lucia spun tales, there was no stopping them.

“You have Mimi's eyes."

Vox tilted his head.

"Memaw had blue eyes like mine? Mother always said that my eyes were so blue, she thought I was blind. I see better than anyone, though."

"Mimi had eyes like glass." Vincent said softly. "My mother thought the same thing yours did when she was born. But when Mimi reached for her and laughed, my mother knew she would be blessed."

He looked at Vox as the young man held Rina tighter and smiled down at her.

"The blue hair, though, that's new." he said with a smirk.

Vox looked at him with a small smile.

"My hair is black as night. I dyed it blue after the surgery."

"Surgery?" Vincent asked.

"Remember when I told you my father shot me?" Vox asked softly. "My mother hit me with a few alcohol bottles before that. I was used to getting hit so I didn't notice. Apparently I had gotten struck in the back of the head and I had a gash in my scalp. They had to shave so much of my hair off that I had the rest of it cut off too.

“When it started to grow back I began to hate everything that reminded me of my mother and my father. When I wouldn't let my hair grow, Rachel tried to coax me. After she couldn't get me to concede, she finally asked if I would grow my hair out if she dyed it a different color for me when it was longer. I told her there wasn't a color that suited me, and she said that blue matched my "beautiful ice eyes."

“I made her swear to it and when it had grown out she kept her word and we dyed it like it is now. I never changed it because it reminded me of something I loved and cherished. It reminded me of the power my sister and I had when we were together.

"Plus," Vox said trying to ease the melancholy, "it makes me look suave."

Vincent smiled back at the young gunslinger and nodded.

"It does bring out the ice color in your eyes." he agreed softly.

"I like it because it is a nice contrast to mine." Rina said with a grin. "Red hair is ridiculous."

"I like your hair." Vox said indignantly. "It is beautiful."

"Like you."

Vox smiled at Rina as the young woman in his arms looked up at him silently with her green eyes shimmering. He nodded slowly.

"Yeah. . .like me. . ."

"Thank you for passing down the story, Vincent. . ."

Vox looked up with a start as Vincent looked at him with a stern face, but a gentle smile. He didn't question the use of his proper first name as the older man sighed softly.

"I had forgotten why I left Wutai in the first place," Vincent mused almost bitterly, "I was trying to make a better life than what I had. My mother sent me away so that I would make something better of myself than a simple farmer. Hmmm. I wonder if I would have been any different had I stayed and lived out such a fate."

"Of course you would have." Rina said suddenly. "There wouldn't have been me."

"There wouldn't have been me." Vox added.

"And there wouldn't be this. . ."

Rina gently reached for Vincent's hand and placed it upon Yuffie's stomach as the ninja continued to sleep. She looked at the gunslinger as her green eyes met his red ones.

"Nothing that exists now would have existed at all." Rina said softly. "Nicoli and I were only brought about by the research done upon you and countless others. Vox was only given to this future because of the life his grandmother and mother had. Without you in your own destiny, none of this would have existed. Your story would have ended in the fields unnoticed and unchanged. You would have perished with so many others. Your mother wanted better for you. Your sisters wanted better."

Vincent looked at Rina for a moment before smiling and shaking his head.

"But you would not have had pain, Rina. Chaos would not exist in human form. Vox may have had a loving, caring family instead of the life he was given. Yuffie may have found someone who wouldn't have broken her heart so many times. . ."

"My pain would have been born elsewhere or given to someone else!" Rina countered with a firm frown. "Lucrecia would have tested her theory on someone else. Sephiroth would have still ravaged the land and Midgar would still have fallen. The only difference is that  _you_  wouldn't have been there. You added a world of difference for everyone on AVALANCHE.

“Without your help, they wouldn't have found Lucrecia in her cavern and you would have never been there to save Yuffie all of those times. Yuffie's heart would have never found peace with the other that rang with the same chord as her own. She would be lost in a sea of sadness. Worse yet, she may not have survived at all. Her mother said it best: had she lived, Yuffie would have grown up just like she had, and the circle would have never ended."

Vincent looked at Rina, defeated.

The world just may have been a sorry place to be without him.

"For us, anyway."

Vox looked over at Vincent with a small nod.

"It would have been a sorry place for us."

He turned his head toward Yuffie as the ninja softly groaned in her sleep.

"And a much sorrier place for her." he added as Vincent took Yuffie's hand in his.

Vincent looked at Vox with soft, unyielding eyes as the young man looked down at Rina.

"She's asleep. Let's see if we can keep Gwendolyn from beating up a pregnant martial artist." Vox said softly as he brushed his lips over Rina's forehead.

Rina smiled and closed her eyes as she nodded.

"Okay. But I bet it would be a good show. I think Gwendolyn would win."

As they rose to their feet, Vincent looked up at them with a small smile.

"If you need anything, Vincent, we won't be far away." Vox said with a certain conviction in his voice. "Just holler and we'll come running."

"I will, Vox. Thank you." Vincent said. "Try not to let Tifa wear you down."

"She's tried and failed several times." Rina said with a smirk. "Between the two of us she can't get a foot in inch wise."

Vincent laughed as Vox ruffled Rina's hair and nodded.

"Yeah, but Rina hasn't made it easier for us, it just makes Tifa that much more a pain in the butt." Vox said trying to keep the sour tone out of his voice.

"Tifa has always tried to keep Yuffie's best interests at heart." Vincent said softly. "I'm sure she is just worried. That is her nature."

"Indeed. We will leave you, Vincent." Rina said with a calm smile. "If you need us, you have a constant guard outside. Please, send them for us and we will come."

Vincent nodded again and watched as the two Turks turned away and Vox threw his arm around Rina's shoulders.

He smiled and lowered his head as the door silently opened and shut again.

"Hmmm." he mused softly. "If only you could see what became of your grandson, Mimi."

Vincent looked up at the aged, wooden ceiling of Godo's inner chambers as he smiled.

"You'd say he was a handful for three, just like you did with me."

The calm stillness answered the gunslinger as faint noises from the yard outside the palace steps started to float on the breeze. The room was peaceful and as the gunslinger returned his attention to the ninja sleeping next to him, he realized that his life had been started at the point where he last left happy with it.

The realization caused Vincent to hold Yuffie's hand tighter as he closed his eyes and let several tears slide down his cheeks. He trembled as he lowered his head and let it rest beside Yuffie's sleeping form. As he heard her breathe and heard her heartbeat echoing in his ears, the gunslinger softly sobbed.

It was a path he hadn't chosen for himself. It was something he had avoided at all costs, but ended up walking it anyway. Ever since that ninja opened the lid of his casket so many years ago, he knew in the darkest depths of the heart he thought had stopped beating that she was the one destined for him.

She was destined to carry his burdens even when she didn't know it. She was destined to prove she was greater than any force known to this Universe. What others saw was of no consequence. To them, they were complete. In every sense of the word, they were whole.

"Thank you." whispered Vincent narrowly opening his eyes. "Thank you for letting me go."

_". . .you're welcome, Vincent. . ."_

The room whispered the words over and over again with the voices of the past echoing off of the dark, wooden walls. As the gunslinger drifted to sleep beside his love, her hand tightly clutched in his, a spray of lilac petals fell from the ceiling and landed on the foot of Yuffie's bed. The breeze gently whisked the petals away as the flower shimmered in the light.


End file.
